HAPPY NEW YEAR PEOPLE. Goodbye 2010, Christmas, and Thanksgiving. Time for new Winter and Spring holidays!
And post-holidays always comes with “that” feeling.
You know that feeling.
“Crap, my tights keep rolling down” feeling.
“My back is poking out over my jeans” feeling.
“Did my boobs get bigger? No… Just the bra feeling tight around my waist” feeling.
“I can’t see my ribs anymore…even when I suck in” feeling.
“Where the hell is my belly button” feeling.
“I keep bumping into things with my hips/butt” feeling.
“Thinking I can squeeze through there and getting stuck mid-way” feeling.
“Is it just me or did my eyes get smaller” feeling.
I feel like everyone (or at least every girl) I know has “losing weight”, “get into shape”, or “eat healthier” (which is just another euphemism for “I want to be skinny”) on their list of New Year’s Resolutions. I would put something more detailed like “eat less butter/sugar/fat” on my list, but I don’t really want to put something I have no intention of keeping.
I really should get back into shape though since I’m going to Cancun for spring break. SUPER EXCITED about that, but I’m really pasty and fluffy everywhere which isn’t suitable for a bikini or a beach, so I started running again this week. It’s been months. After two days, my legs wanted to kill me, and again I am reminded of why I never run. Damn these weak knees.
The mission of weight loss is also a bit more urgent since I’m supposed to be going to Vegas next week but I feel like a whale so…… Yes. I don’t know exactly how this situation will be resolved, but I may just wear something with long sleeves and a lot of fabric to hide under.
Back to the point:
I wanted to bake something, but I didn’t want to bake something that was going to make me feel all guilty and whatnot so I decided to do something without sugar. Or butter. For once.
I made my own granola.
See?
I can be healthy, too.
I read somewhere that store-bought granola and cereal is one of the worst processed foods you can eat and be tricked into thinking it’s healthy so I just made my own because I LOVE LOVE LOVE granola. I like to layer mine with a lot of plain yogurt for a nice yogurt parfait. This is probably adjustable. I’ll probably try to make granola breakfast bars next. Teehee.
Healthy Sugar-free Granola
2 cups mix of old-fashioned oats, rye, barley, and wheat (or you can just use oatmeal)
1 cup sliced almonds, roughly chopped
2/3 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups chopped dried fruit (mine was mango, blueberries, and cranberries)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread oat mixture and almonds over a large baking sheet and toast in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Grease a 8×8 pan and line with parchment paper.
When the oat mixture is done toasting, put in a large bowl to slightly cool. Lower the temperature of the oven to 325 degrees.
Meanwhile, whisk together honey, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Pour over the oat mixture and add the chopped dried fruit. Mix well to cover everything evenly with the honey mixture.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and pack down tightly. Use a piece of parchment paper and your hand to press it down until it’s even and tight, and don’t forget your edges! Bake for about 25 minutes. Let cool completely before crumbling into pieces of desirable size. Store in an airtight container.
