Pumpkin. Spice. Granola. Clusters.
Yes… fall has arrived. It is now time to re-create every recipe I’ve ever made to fit somewhere into the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg craze I’m about to embark on. 😉
Two things today:
1. How creepy are people at the grocery store with backpacks? Is it just me or does a man wandering around the isles, but not actually picking anything up, scream
“I’m about to blow the roof off this place any second.”
I mean really, if you want to scare a large crowd of stay at home moms and old people then wander around with a backpack and no cart. Likely everyone will scatter and look for the nearest Exit sign, then you don’t have to fight the crowd. Being creepy might have some perks, but I wouldn’t know because I’m about a -10 on the creepiness scale.
Upon seeing the creepy backpack guy I really just wanted to say
“Man, I just have to know. What’s in the bag? A machine gun? A bomb? A butcher knife? Ohhh.. it’s just your work clothes. Right, exactly what I had in mind. Thanks for clearing that one up. Now if you could kindly grab a cart and not corner me near the checkout that would be fantastic.” And that was all she wrote. 😉
2. I found a really awesome yogurt. Maple Hill Creamery Vanilla Creamline Yogurt. It is beyond my wildest yogurt dreams and so, I kindly took a picture of it so you could love on it too. Usually I purchase plain yogurt, but this vanilla cup intrigued me because it said Creamline. Plus it was about 50 cents cheaper then the other organic yogurts so I gave it a go. Boy, was it good!
Why is it so good, you ask? Here is my humble old opinion on yogurt, so fasten your seatbelts folks! Most low fat yogurts take away the fat, but add a ton of refined sugars. What is the point of that exactly? You got me! I have no clue why Americans think full fat dairy is the devil, but I’m here to be the low fat yogurt voice of reason. Just eat the real thing, it is so much better, and doesn’t require 26 grams of sugar to make it taste good. In fact, this yogurt only has about 4 grams of added sugar and it is creamy, tangy, and delicious without being overly sweet. Top it with the Pumpkin Spice Granola Clusters and you have yourself one of the most enjoyable breakfasts in the world!
*This is NOT a sponsored post. I just love this stuff! In fact, here it is in all of it’s cute tree on the cup glory!
I’m about to get all “health foodie mom” on everyone so please, if you are over that phase in your life or just don’t care skip to the recipe!
We don’t buy boxed cereals at the grocery store, and if we do we buy the organic/better ones that are pretty much just a treat for the kids. I know, I know, some of you may be thinking what the what!?!?! But it is true. The fact is most cereals are just candy coated, GMO junk food. Most boxed cereals even contain BHT, which is banned in most of the world (Hello FDA where are you?) They are no way to start your day… like ever! Yes, they might be fortified but if you are eating right in the first place you don’t need fortified junk food. With the organic/better cereals that aren’t fortified I’ve noticed they contain a whole lot of nothing so that is why I give them to my kids as a treat, not necessarily a breakfast. If you are trying to cut the crap out of your life, then here are my breakfast suggestions:
- Homemade granola (because a lot of the grocery store granolas have a ton of unnecessary, added ingredients.
- Eggs
- Oatmeal (1/2 cup oats, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup milk, cinnamon, 1 tsp pure maple syrup, blueberries=the best oatmeal ever!!)
- Ezekiel muffins/bread with butter
- Fruit/Yogurt
- Whole wheat pancakes, waffles
- Pumpkin Spice Granola Clusters and yogurt 😉
So there you go. A whole bunch of reasons not to eat a bowl-o-crap and a few suggestions of what to eat instead. Phew, I’m glad I got that off my chest! Ok, I promise I’m done and here is the recipe. Just an FYI, this recipe contains 2 egg whites. That means it will be crunchy, plus pack a bit of protein. Perfection I tell ya!
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Pumpkin Spice Granola Clusters
By Published: September 7, 2014
- Yield: 4 Servings
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 45 mins
- Ready In: 55 mins
Pumpkin. Spice. Granola. Clusters. Yes... fall has arrived. It is now time to re-create every recipe I've ever made to fit …
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup If you want a sweeter granola use 1/2 cup
- 2 egg whites
- 1 Tbsp butter melted
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- additional add ins if desired nuts, dried fruits, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix All ingredients except oats and seeds in a bowl. Toss in oats and seeds, then turn out onto a lightly greased baking sheet.
- Press mixture together to form one big rectangle. You will bake it first, then break it up into clusters. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until lightly browned and starting to crisp. Take pan out of oven, break into clusters, and return to oven for an additional 20 minutes or until golden and crisp. Store in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.
I might give that a try. Dana, I know how you feel about the guy with the back pack. What would freak me out instead is if I found one, anything, unattended. Otherwise we are talking about an explosives belt here and they would have it all covered with their clothing. This happened at a Starbucks in New York City. I met with my Facebook friend from Israel during the Israel Day Parade last year. As we sat there, a white male came in and asked if we could look out for his back pack while he stands in line to order. I kind of looked unsure but we said yes. After that I just looked at my friend Moishi. Moishi said, “don’t worry! I know these things since I used to be in the IDF (or something). His body profile and everything speaks against it.” Couldn’t have been a more perfect day, Israel Day Parade of all things, to plant a bomb. Next time I will tell them NO WAY!