Honey Granola Recipe

The term "crunchy" in "crunchy mama" is a wink and a nudge to the use of the word "granola" to mean hippy.  So I guess every good crunchy mama needs a tasty granola recipe.  Here's how I found my favorite.

Steve and I came across a show on the local NBC station called, "The Kentucky Proud Kitchen."  This show was made for us as it combines our love of cooking, Kentucky, and local products.  A recent episode featured various recipes with local honey as an ingredient.  One of the recipes was for a simple and nutritious granola sweetened with honey.

I've been on the search for an easy granola recipe for several years.  I've focused on attempting bar types because I thought they would be the most appealing to Steve for his lunch.  He had been taking various brands of processed store bought bars as a workday snack.  However every recipe I tried either ended up stuck to the pan or too sticky to be enjoyable.

I was intrigued by the basic ingredients of the KY Proud recipe and thought I would give it a try even though the end result would be a crumbly, traditional granola rather than a bar.  I was also excited that the granola would feature local honey which is a great way to cut down on seasonal allergies and is a healthier alternative to other sweeteners.

Honey Granola:

• 6 cups old-fashioned, rolled oats (I use a combo of Bob's Red Mill 5 Grain Cereal and store brand)
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 ½  cups honey
• ½ cup oil (I use coconut)
• 1 ½ cups sweetened dried cranberries (or less)
• Other suggested add-ons: 1/2 cup chopped almonds, chopped all-fruit leather, shredded coconut, flax seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, nuts, and cinnamon.  Add honey and oil, mixing well to combine.  (Honey can be gently heated in the microwave to make it more fluid.)  Spread oat mixture onto a baking sheet which has been greased (I brush with coconut oil).  Bake oats for 20-25 minutes, turning mixture over with a spatula every 5-10 minutes to ensure even browning.  Remove from oven, mix in dried fruit, and return to oven for an additional 5-10 minutes.  Remove from oven, allow to cool, and transfer to an airtight container.

After letting the granola cool, I store in several different recycled containers.  I put smaller portions in old baby food jars for Steve's lunch each day.

We have all enjoyed eating this granola, or as Katie says, "granole."  Steve says that he doesn't mind that it's not a bar and thoroughly enjoys the little bit of something sweet/protein boost for his school day. 

Here's a picture of my little granola making helper sneaking a bite:

 

And here's a picture of her drying out black walnuts to hopefully be included in future granola.

 

~Carla

"I come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses..."

I've come to enjoy what I call "divine appointments" at 2 am in the morning.  These appointments are usually prompted by my little nursling's cry for mommy (yes I have a 2.5 year old that is still nursing and still doesn't sleep through the night; but that is an entirely different post for an entirely different day!).  But I actually see these moments, or hours, in the middle of the night as a time that God uses to reveal Himself to me.

Last night He rang and boy am I glad I answered!  Among many things that are beyond the scope of this blog, He spoke to me about what we've been working on here for Pursuing Prairie.  First, if my body is a temple in which His Spirit dwells, I want to give my best effort to keep it free of harmful chemicals on both the inside and outside.  Second, I feel the call to be a good steward of all of His creation and the resources assigned to my care.

I don't want to live in guilt about the choices I've made in the past or the mistakes I will continue to make in this life.  There's grace and forgiveness for that.  But I feel like I have a renewed outlook on why I am so drawn to the "natural" world.  I see it as an act of love and gratitude to my Creator.

I look forward to what He leads me to next and to sharing that in order to hopefully inspire others to seek their calling too.

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.



Refrain
And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.



He speaks, and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.


Refrain


I’d stay in the garden with Him
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.

Refrain

~Carla

De-Odor-Ain't Gone

I've been on a quest for the perfect deodorant for a while.  I want a deodorant that does it all: keeps you dry, free of odor, and is eco-friendly and non-toxic.  Why is it important to choose a non-toxic deodorant?

Your underarms are a rather sensitive place to slather on harsh chemicals such as-

• Parabens-preservatives used in the cosmetic industry that have actually been found in breast cancer tissue 
• Aluminum-yep, most antiperspirants contain aluminum.  Aluminum has been established as a neurotoxin.  Scary stuff- it can cross the blood-brain barrier and is capable of DNA damage.
  
• Triclosan- an antibacterial and antifungal agent that is currently under review by the FDA.

Needless to say, I don't want to put any of that in my body, so I have been experimenting with the following deodorants:

1. Tom's natural deodorant
2. Crystal deodorant
3. Suave 24 hr (powder scent)
4. coconut oil
5. **nothing**  :)

Originally, I thought I would do a legit, controlled scientific experiment to determine which deodorant worked best.  However, my busy schedule (including caring for a 5 month old) got in the way of that.  I will merely list pros and cons of each type I tried.

1.  Tom's-  I like that this still has a scent.  The apricot scent is nice.  However, the deodorant is almost a gel-like form.  It is a little sticky as it goes on.  I felt like it was good at hiding odor for the first few hours.  After a while though, especially if I was in extra hot conditions, it just did not hold up well.
2. Crystal deodorant- This is a roll-on and doesn't smell like anything.  Considering my underarms stunk when I got out of the shower (more on that in a second), as SOON as a I applied this, my pits smelled like, well, nothing.  As I sit here at 9:30 in the evening, though, I do smell "au naturel."  I got this at Kroger in the natural/organic section.  It was inexpensive.  
3. Suave 24 hr.- Ugh.  I got this for $1 at a Dollar Store on my out-of-town work day because I was DESPERATE.  It was over 100 degrees, I was in and out of the car (with little to no air conditioning), using the breast pump while driving, and forgot my deodorant.  Nuf said.  This is actually terrible.  First, the smell is awful.  I literally feel like it's 1993 when the baby powder scent was in (remember Love's Baby Soft perfume??).  Second, I seriously feel it does something to change the chemistry of my underarm area.  I swear to you I can't SCRUB this stuff off in the shower.  It's like there is a film under my arms that won't go away.  I get out of the shower with my underarms smelling like stronger BO than when I got in.  Gross. 
4. Coconut oil- Is there anything this little miracle can't do?  From using it as a diaper cream to putting it in your cookies, it is amazing!  It did a good job at keeping me stink-free, for a while.  I would say it would not be a good option if you'll be outside sweating for any period of time.  I also wonder about it leaving oil stains on my clothes.  
5. **Nothing**- When I say nothing, I mean nothing.  I have found this to be the same concept as shaving, you know, the more you shave, the less your hair grows.  Well, the less I wear deodorant, the less I perspire and stink.  However, I still feel it's necessary at times when I know I will sweat. 

And there you have it.  You have to find what works best for you, but for me, I think it would be a combination of wearing nothing and using the Crystal deodorant.  Bottom line is de-odor-ain't gone no matter what I've tried, so why risk it using chemical-laden deodorants?

~Trina