My food budget has been forced to expand due to all his running. We now add items like cliff bloks, protein powder drinks, frozen burritos, and powerade to our regular shopping list. Not to mention he just eats more and more ice cream to keep up with all those burned calories! I keep telling him it's expensive, but a lack of exercising would one day be more expensive, so I guess it's okay.
(Side note: you know what's amazing? Sam weighs more now than he ever has since I've known him. Running is filling out his body in a good way. No longer skin and lurpy bones.)
One food Sam eats way more quickly than I get around to making is granola. When a fresh batch is in the pantry, he eats a large bowl every morning. This recipe fills a whole #10 can, but he downs it in about a week. I'm lucky to get some to sprinkle on yogurt for a snack (which is so yummy!).
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It's easy to adjust granola recipes. Don't have oil? Use applesauce or melted butter. Out of nuts? Don't add them. Don't like raisins? Forget about them. Like coconut? Sure--add it in!
Homemade Granola –
Runner’s Superfood
8 cups rolled oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chopped walnuts
½ - 1 cup shredded coconut
¾ cup honey
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup applesauce
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
dash salt
dried fruit (optional, add after baking)
*Note: this is doubling the recipe and it makes enough to
fill a #10 can. You will need to bake it in 2 batches.
1.
Preheat oven to 350F.
2.
Mix oats, nuts and coconut in a large mixing
bowl.
3.
Combine honey, oil, applesauce, brown sugar,
vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a pot on stove over medium heat. Mix until smooth
(no need to boil).
4.
Pour honey/oil mixture over oat mixture. Mix
until well incorporated.
5.
Line 2 large baking sheets or jelly roll pans with
parchment paper sprayed with baking spray. Pour half granola on each pan.
6.
Bake each pan for 10 minutes. Then stir to
prevent burning. Bake another 5-10 minutes until desired texture. Remember, the
granola will continue to cook after removing from the oven.
7.
Stir well upon removing from the oven if you’d
like a non-clumpy granola. If you want it clumpy, don’t stir much after
removing from oven.
8.
After cooled, store in airtight container. Eat
with milk like cold cereal, or perfect in a yogurt parfait.
*Tips:
o This
granola will be slightly crunchy. Reduce heat to 275F and bake for 25 minutes
if you want a softer granola. Or “bake” in the microwave.
o If you
don’t like any of the nuts or coconut, or don’t have all of them, they can
easily be omitted. Sunflower seeds can also be added.
o Oil,
butter, and applesauce can be easily interchanged, based on what you have on
hand.
oHoney and
brown sugar can also be interchanged. Also can use corn syrup, though not as flavorful.
One day while this was baking Winston walked in the kitchen, took a great big sniff and said, "Mmmm...that smells yummy." He's right--baking this makes your house smell mmm, good!
