Everything Tastes Better When You Make it Yourself!

I am a huge snacker.  I eat a bit like a hobbit--I routinely have three "breakfasts" before lunchtime.  It probably doesn't help that I eat my first breakfast before 6 AM.  I have converted Adam into a chronic snacker, too, and now our lunchboxes are packed full of healthy-ish munchies.  



We are currently obsessed with granola.  We use to buy the Cascadian Farms brand when it was on sale at our local Publix. Most store bought granola (including the one we were buying) is actually terrible for you.  It is full of fat from the oil used to make it into that rich crunchy delicious goodness you've come to know and love.  Recently, I found a low-fat granola recipe (thanks pinterest!) that uses only a tablespoon of oil and unsweetened apple sauce.  After playing with ratios and tasty things to add I made a Pumpkin Pie Spiced Granola that I'm so in love with I felt compelled to share it!  It's a perfect fall recipe and it makes your house smell awesome!!

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Granola

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 TB vegetable oil
1 TB honey*

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cup nuts/seeds (eyeball it and stop when the mixture looks proportional)
1/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ground ginger
1/4 t ground cloves
1/2 t salt (I omit this if I add salted nuts)

Preheat oven to 300 F.  In a small sauce pan add first three ingredients and cook on low until liquified.  Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients well in a large bowl.  When wet ingredients are sufficiently liquidy mix with dry ingredients until everything is well coated.  Put mixture into large (13x9) pyrex baking dish.  Cook in oven for 50-60 minutes being sure to mix every 10 minutes to ensure even browning.

Allow to cool before storing in airtight container.  Once cool feel free to add 1/2 cup of whatever dried fruit you love.  I added raisins but I bet dried cranberries would be delicious in this as well!

*Tip: To easily get your honey out of the measuring spoon, measure and pour the oil first.  It coats the spoon and the honey slips right out!  I love the accidental genius that comes from making the same recipe multiple times!

Next I am going to use the basic granola recipe (without nuts/seeds, ginger and cloves) to make the base for homemade granola bars for the boys.  Stay tuned!

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Along a different vein, I have found two spice mixes that I can't live without.  I've been using them both for years.  One is taco seasoning.  Taco seasoning is one of those things that I never seemed to remember to buy at the grocery store and then when I went to make tacos I was up feces creek without a paddle.  Because necessity is the mother of invention (or initiative in my case because I definitely didn't make up this recipe) I found a great recipe for taco mix.  I use this on ground turkey for traditional tacos or nachos, to flavor chicken I'm cooking in the crockpot to shred for fajitas or quesodillas, or in anything I want to have a Mexican flavor profile.  Another huge benefit to making your own mix is you can control salt content and you actually know what you're eating!

Taco Seasoning Mix

1 T chili powder
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t onion powder
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 dried oregano
1/2 t paprika
1 1/2 t ground cumin (I do a little less because the smell grosses me out)
1 t sea salt (I omit this all together)
1 t black pepper

Mix all ingredients well and store in airtight container.  Shake well before using to reincorporated the spices.

I usually double this recipe just so I don't have to make it all the time.  I probably use about a TB for 1.5 lbs of meat.  It isn't too spicy for the boys so it is safe for the whole family!

Another spice mix I love is Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix.  I have never once used it to make dressing.  It is excellent in soups, coating on potatoes before you bake them, or in homemade pasta sauce.  I've recently gotten lazy about making my own but here is a recipe I've tried that tastes exactly like the original!

Italian Dressing Spice Mix

1 TB garlic salt
1 TB onion powder
1 TB sugar
2 TB oregano
1 t pepper
1/4 t thyme
1 t basil
1 TB parsley
1/4 t celery salt
2 TB salt

Mix well and store in airtight container.

Just like the taco seasoning you can adjust the amount of salt you add.  I doubt if I ever added 2 TB of salt after adding both garlic and celery salt as well.  It makes you wonder how much salt is actually in the store bought stuff though, doesn't it?!

Enjoy, eat well and prosper, everyone!