Guilt-free granola that will knock your socks (and boots) off!

I've always been super picky about granola. I'm not sure why. I've never really fallen in love with it. And it seems like the only granola I actually LOVED was when I was on vacation somewhere or at a restaurant where they refused to give me their "secret recipe." Understandable, I guess ;)

In my experience, the majority of granola is either jam-packed with crazy sugar additives, is super high in cals or just tastes like cardboard. So...I was lucky enough to steal this recipe from my sister Heather who is famous for coming up with the most creative and healthy (but still mouth watering) recipes! This homemade granola is nutritious, tasty and will leave you wanting more and more. Trust me.

Preheat oven to 325

2 cups of old fashioned oats

1/2 cup nuts- I used cashews since I LOVE them and that's what I already had at home

1/4 cup seeds (I used pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds)

1/4 cup dried fruit (optional but I used goji berries)

2-3 tbsp of honey or maple syrup or both

2 tbsp. coconut oil- if its solid because of the temperature in the room don't worry it will melt when you combine everything together

1/4 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes 

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

*Combine everything in a big bowl with your hands and make sure to really incorporate the coconut oil if its not liquid just so there aren't any huge chunks!

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Put on a baking sheet in a thin layer and bake 10 minutes then pull out, stir it up and flip what you can with a spatula and put it back in for another 5 minutes to cook it evenly. You want it lightly golden but not too brown or it will taste a little burned and we don't want that!

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And here she is...beautiful bowl of granola made with love. Add this to some plain Greek yogurt with some blueberries and you are set for heaven :) Enjoy!!

-Kate

A Snacking Way of Life

I’m definitely not one of those three big meals a day type of gals. I eat about five small meals a day and feel I’m never really “starving” which allows me to eat without gorging myself and feeling like I’m six months pregnant after dinner. Because of this, I’m a huge fan of snacking and feel like I’m literally always eating. BUT as long as you make good choices with what you decide to put in the ole bod, you will be just fine. Although you have to be careful with snacking because sometimes it can lead to overeating if you aren’t careful ;)

For those of you that work during the day and don’t have your kitchens easily accessible, making some snacks the night before and bringing them to work with you is a great way to steer clear of yucky vending machine items, cafeteria food, etc. If you have the healthy snacks available, you’re less likely to make a bad food choice. Something I used to do is I would bring a snack for the drive home or to eat before dinner. It sounds like a lot of work to have to worry about that but it’s a great way to give yourself something small so you aren’t completely famished when you walk in the door.  

Some of my favorite snacks

Hummus with veggies (Cucumber & red bell peppers)

Mixed nuts (lightly salted)
Banana or apple with peanut butter and honey

Fruit (berries are the best)

String cheese (filling, easy and not too bad in the calorie department)

Popcorn

Celery with peanut butter

Edamame 

Spelt cakes with avocado, sea salt n pepper, squeeze of lemon juice

Pumpkin seeds 

**Hummus is one of my favorite things ever so I’ve become somewhat of a connoisseur. The best hummus I’ve had thus far is Eat Well Enjoy Life's Spicy Yellow Lentil Hummus with Sunflower Seeds and Apricot. The mix sounds a bit odd, yes, but it's sooo good and has a bit of a kick to it. If you try this, addiction is most likely going to take place.

What you should be eating A LOT of

If you can try and incorporate these into your daily life as much as possible your bod will thank you ten times over. I promise!
 

Nuts: almonds, pistachios and walnuts are the best. I love buying the sea salt and vinegar almonds at Sprouts. They have all different kinds so you don't get sick of the same thing.

Seeds: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or sesame seeds are all great choices. You can add them to your salads or eat them plain. They make the perfect snack. I always add sesame seeds to my scrambles or omelets. You gotta think outside the box to keep the variety going. I get bored very easily so I've begun to realize that some things (like adding seeds to eggs) that would normally sound weird and maybe even gross, may actually end up dancin on your palate. So I dare you to take a chance and experiment with the vast amount of possibilities God has given us.

Fruit: Kiwi, Apples, all berries, lemons and limes

Avocados: Try and add to anything you can such as salads, omelets, sandwiches, wherever you can

Quinoa: I am a huge carb person more so than sweets which is why I love quinoa and eat it often. You still get your “rice and carb” fix but it has triple the amount of protein and fiber. Eat the crap out of this. Don't forget to make it with chicken broth as opposed to water, gives it much more flavor. 

Beans: kidney, black and lentils

Fish: salmon, tuna, ahi, etc. Try replacing red meat or chicken dishes with fish at least twice a week.

Veggies: raw is always better but cooked is fine too. Kale, spinach, bok choy (who knew?), sweet potatoes, red bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, beets, broccoli and onions are great choices. If you aren't a huge veggie person and have a hard time incorporating them into your daily meals, throwing them in your juices or smoothies is a great way to do so.

Eggs: try and eat eggs 3 times a week at least and mixing it up between egg whites and the whole egg is not a bad idea. Although only doing egg whites is not the way to go as you miss out on most of the health benefits the yolk provides.

WATER WATER WATER

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One of the most amazing fruits (yes, it's a fruit) on earth...avocado baby.

There are a lot of things I'm obsessed with. In fact, anything I like tends to turn into me being "obsessed" with it. I'm just weird like that. However, don't discount the validity of these things I'm obsessed with because they are all truly amazing in their own way. At the top of my list is avocado. I believe it's safe to say I consume about 4-5 avocados a week. To some that may sound a bit over the top. But I am proud of this little fact about myself because these babies are SO incredibly good for your bod. I add them to my scrambles or omelettes, put them on sandwiches, in salads, in my smoothies and a la carte. I'm not calling anyone dumb, misinformed or uneducated, however, I do think there's a good chance you aren't fully aware of all the benefits avocados ​have to offer. They contain vitamins A, C and E thus full of antioxidants, strengthen your immune system, help with weight management (full of fiber), great for your heart, help lower cholesterol and the list goes on and on. They are also amazing for your skin. One of my favorite at-home facials is avocado mixed with honey. The oil in avocados provide crazy moisture for your skin. You must try it, you will be hooked! This was my lunch today. Cucumbers, a big slab of hummus and some avocado sliced up with sea salt & pepper. Yum yum!