Homemade Granola

So now that I am alone during the day and a big open kitchen is staring me in the face all the time, I am in a baker's paradise. I have been cooking and baking and feeding my Griz and friends for several weeks and have loved it. It is fun to be able to have this kind of freedom.

My first project was a homemade granola. I know, I know, Portland is turning me into a certified hippie! I made this with all organic ingredients and only used natural sweeteners. So it's a great way to get a bunch of grains in the morning with breakfast, or a boost before a run, or a delicious treat served with yogurt, fruit or ice cream.

I had a really good time reading about natural sweeteners, as I am really committing to not buy products that have high fructose corn syrup in them. I have to spend twice as much time at the grocery store in order to avoid those products but it so worth it. It amazes me that foods marketed as "health food" still have this substance in them. It is frustrating just how many things we never even "think twice about" and use on a daily basis have high fructose corn syrup.

High fructose corn syrup was a government subsidized sweetener because it was easy to use, twice as concentrated as other sweeteners, and stores and ships easily. But now we see that it is destroying the average American's health... leading to diabetes and heart disease. It causes a quick rise in energy and brings you down just as fast. So we are enjoying seeking out foods that are free from this addictive and terrible substance. It is more expensive to buy foods without high fructose corn syrup, but truly, in the end you pay double in health care for any lack of investment you failed to make in your health. This is a concept I am just beginning to grasp.

Dry Ingredients:

5 cups rolled oats (you can also use a combination of rolled grains)
2-3 cups of raw almonds or pecan halves (or other nuts)
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
¾ cup sesame seeds
½ cup wheat germ (or ground flax seed)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp sea salt

*Other Possibilities: ½ cup dried fruit (add after cooked) –date pieces, cranberries, cherries, apricots, mango. Did not use fruit this time but will try it next time with cranberries or dried cherries.

Wet Ingredients:

¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup or brown rice syrup (can also use agave nectar)
1/4 cup honey

2 Tbsp safflower oil

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the wet ingredients together, and then stir into dry ingredients. Stir well to mix thoroughly.

Spread the mixture into two baking dishes. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until evenly golden brown. Stir every 10 minutes to ensure even browning. Stir again when removed from oven to keep it from cooling into a solid mass. The granola will crisp as it cools. If you use fruit, stir once it is cooled. If you want more big clumps in the granola like I did, skip the last turn so it is more of a solid mass and it breaks up as you pick it up.

Store in the refrigerator in a large zip lock bag or other airtight container.

Makes about 10 cups.

Transformation of the Tempe Condo

So these pictures are a long time in coming, I know, I know. But at least they made their way onto the blog. Later is better than never right??? :)

This kind of chronicles the last semester and the work-in-progress that is the Griswold/Porter condo. The first picture starts at the beginning, October of 2008, Dan buys condo. Moves in.

December of 2008 starts the next chapter, Val moves in.

March 2009, updating begins. We take trip after trip to Lowe's, write out plans, budgets, etc. We decide to do everything in pieces. Family room, dining room, kitchen, then bedroom. Before Portland all we have time to accomplish is family room and part of dining room.

Val starts project on spring break by priming & painting all the doors, trim, doorways, etc.

At the end of spring break, Yurea comes to paint family room. He is a Croatian contact of Dan's friend Sinead at work. He does an EXCELLENT job!

Things are looking good! This is pre-blinds.

We pick out wooden blinds for the window in this room, as well as the two entryway windows in the foyer. We choose vertical screens for the sliding glass door.

Take note of Dan's ceramic frogs at the end of the stairs. He loves them so much ;)

We really love the vertical panels because we can see the green from the trees outside. The light is just filtered so it doesn't shine directly on us, but still provides a good, balanced light for the room.

After painting we start updating the hardwares and light fixtures. We replace both outdoor light fixtures, which had pretty much ceased to exist, the hallway sconce, and the big hanging light you see in a few of the pictures. (Which used to be a long, hanging HUGE grey disco light ball, which Dan has decided to keep in the bedroom for when it "comes to him" about what this ball's purpose should be. I am actively plotting every minute of my life to destroy said ball)

New doorknobs, no more gold fixtures!!!!

And there you have it! Next item on the list is painting the dining room a deep red, and finishing the tan color into the kitchen. Also next on the list is getting another couch! We survived the first 6 months of living together with one couch, and I must say it was quite the feat. I feel pretty proud of us. There's nothin' like "together time" all the time ;)  So we are rewarding our efforts with a matching love seat from the set. Also we didn't get around to putting our pictures back up, so that is on the list as well. We are looking forward to purchasing some art while we're up here in Portland to bring back to the newly painted walls.

We have enjoyed improving our living space, and our life together along with that. Like everything, it's a work in progress! This project taught us a lot about working together. Looking forward to many more improvements...

Song of the Week

Band of Horses
Detlef Schrempf
from "Cease to Begin" - 2007
____________________________________________

And take a little walk when the worst is to come
When I saw you looking like I never thought
And say you're at a loss or forgot that words can do more than harm

The town is gonna talk, but these people do not
See things through to the very minimal
But what's it gonna cost to be gone?
If we see you like I hoped we never would

When eyes can't look at you any other way,
Any other way, any other way
When eyes can't look at you any other way,
Any other way, any other way.

So take it as a song or a lesson to learn
And sometime soon be better than you were
If you say you're gonna go, then be careful
And watch how you treat every living soul

My eyes can't look at you any other way,
Any other way, any other way
When eyes can't look at you any other way,
Any other way, any other way.

Port!

So I know I've been a slacker. No need to dance around that. But I have been busy! Also, you may have heard I'm in a new city and wondering what the heck I'm doing there... which is also true. I have not been a good communicator as of late, so my apologies. No internet here yet, so once I escape the coffee shop 10 minutes a day to check email trap, I shall update you on life in the rainy city.

It is beautiful here!

We have had many adventures just in the week we've been here, and many more to come.

First highlights:

*Getting stuck in parking garage of the Civic with no key (building we moved into) and thinking I had been deserted forever by Dan and would have to live off of rats until someone found me. Estimated wait - 10 mins. Quite the scare.

*Seeing Joshua James (provo folk artist) at the Aladdin Theatre in downtown. Very cool to see a familiar face! I also got to catch up with his wife who I met years ago in an english class at UVU.

*Walking everywhere!!! We've only had to use the car once since we've been here. How amazing is that? We're starting to think that even bringing one car was a mistake :)

*Getting WORKED OVER in the blue chair salon by the most amazing hair ARTIST I have ever seen in my life. He completely transformed both of our hair styles. I have never seen anyone approach hair as an art form quite like this man. Estimated time in salon - 3 1/2 hours, Dan really had no idea what he was getting into!

*Just waking up every morning and wondering what the new day will bring, and it is always wonderful! Hope everyone is enjoying the beginning of summer, I miss and love all of you!