Homemade Crunchy Buckwheat Granola

I've been craving granola for my oatmeal for quite some time now, but either couldn't bring myself to buy it (it's kind of expensive!) or would forget to every time I went to the store. So, when I read about this recipe on Kath's blog  I really wanted to try it out.

I had a hard time finding the Buckwheat: I went to dismore's and safeway with no success, but finally found some at the Coop in Moscow. That store is amazing. I'll have to do a separate post on it someday.

But I digress. Short story short, I found and bought the ingredients, I made the granola, and it tastes something wonderful, and has an awesome crunch to it. Yum yum!

Crunchy Buckwheat Granola
From here

2 cups raw rolled oats
1/4 cup raw almonds (or I think any other nut would work here as well)
3/4 cup raw buckwheat (aka groats)
3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/4 cup canola oil or coconut oil (I used coconut which was awesome)
1/4 cup honey (or a mix of honey and maple syrup, which is also tasty!)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla

Combine dry ingredients in big metal bowl. Combine wet ingredients in separate bowl, then add them to the dry ingredients and stir until all is mixed through.

Bake in the metal bowl or in 9X9 baking pan at 300* for 1 hour, stirring every half-hour. After the hour, remove from oven and stir again about every half hour while it's cooling. Some of it will seem to clump together and/or stick to the pan. This is a-okay!

Cool completely before storing. Enjoy!

Welcome Back

I'm changing this blog because it is mine and I can. I will still look on the positive (that's how I roll), but I want to focus more on dorm life, food, fitness, and health. Sort of a log.

Right now I am trying to eat well, going off of Jillian Michaels' "Master Your Metabolism." So far, so good! I have been doing various levels of her 30-day shred, and am feeling (and looking?) better already. So this blog will log food, fun, and fitness for me. Thanks :-)

Here are some pics of my new fav breakfasts and snack..

*please note these photos were taken with my little point-and-shoot! I will be busting out the SLR as soon as I get back home*

Breakfast/snack: 1 apple, raisins, and oatmeal (instant- I live in the dorms!)

Amazing breakfast: Tillamook vanilla yogurt, 1/4 cup Kashi apple orchard granola, 2 kiwis, 1 cup organic milk :)
More amazing breakfast food: Oatmeal, banana, 1 Tbs. Dark chocolate chips (mix in the chocolate chips when the oatmeal is hot so they melt), and skim organic milk
Snack time! Coffee with organic skim milk, 1 tsp. sugar, 1/4 cup raw walnuts, come organic baby carrots, and a cheese stick..
More amazingness. Seriously. 1/4 cup Kashi Orchard granola, 1 banana, vanilla Tillamook yogurt..
Yay!