February is a month of love, and food is love. So, it’s only fitting to talk about love through food.
Food nourishes the body and soul. Think about your favorite dish from childhood, the recipes passed on through generations in your family, and the meals you shared with loved ones in your joyous moments of life.
It doesn’t have to be fancy or elaborate, as long as it brings intimate comfort to your heart.
I want to share with you a simple, highly customizable, homemade granola recipe that I’ve been using for almost ten years. It makes a very thoughtful and practical gift. I pack them into glass jars with airtight lids, and affix a handwritten card with a piece of twine. They carry the message of love and appreciation across distance, in good times, and in tough times.
I first discovered this recipe when searching for breakfast ideas on the go. I had a long commute to work back then and wanted something easy and nutritious to enjoy while driving.
The recipe makes an excellent breakfast. I prepare it this way:
Mix blueberries and sliced fresh strawberries in unsweetened yogurt, and store them in a jar.
Keep the jar refrigerated overnight.
Stir in homemade granola when ready to eat the next morning.
Add toasted black sesame seeds and walnut bits for shiny hair and memory boost [add smiley face here]
Below is my version of the recipe that’s enough to last me two weeks. It only takes 15 – 20 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to bake.
Old-fashioned, rolled oats — 6 cups
Raw almonds — 3 cups
Honey — ¾ cup
Olive oil — ½ cup
Raw pumpkin seeds — ½ cup
Salt — 1 tsp kosher or 3/4 tsp regular
Cinnamon — 2 tsp
* Unsweetened raw coconut flakes (If I happen to have them at home)
The final presentation looks very enticing — picture bright red and dark blue (and rich antioxidants) from the berries, the green pumpkin seeds, and the browned oat/almond clusters.
Even after all these years, it still tastes heavenly. When you take a bite, you can detect the berries’ soft sweetness, the oats’ crunchiness, and the powerful scent of the black sesame seeds. It reminds me to love and appreciate myself, for who I am and what I can do.
Plus, it’s so much cheaper and healthier than the stuff you buy at those overpriced health food joints. It’s very filling too — enough to sustain you until lunchtime.
I’ve had so many people asking for the recipe over time, and now you have it, too.
To love yourself through the homemade granola heaven you can reach every day!
