Then it was work, a few errands, and the start of my Thanksgiving baking! I am in charge of what I like to call “counter snacks”, aka eats that kind of sit out throughout the weekend that people can munch on. I made my first set of snacks tonight, two varieties of Granola.
Granola #1 was inspired by this post from my girl Alison at Mama’s Weeds. I have never put fresh fruit in granola and was excited to give it a go.
Ingredients
1 apple, diced
2 cups oats
½ cup walnuts
½ cup almonds
2 tablespoons ground flax
Sprinkling of cinnamon
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons honey
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 250.
Combine vegetable oil and honey. Add in dry ingredients, mix well to cover. Bake for 1 hour.
Pre-Bake:
Granola #2 was more along the lines of my usual with a little pumpkin flare:
Ingredients
2 cups oats
½ cup pumpkin seeds
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup walnuts
1 cup coconut
2 tablespoons flax
Sprinkling of pumpkin pie spice
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons honey
Same Directions as Granola #1.
Pre-Bake:
Since our oven was occupied for most of the night, dinner was an easy throw together and utilized the remainder of our leftover black bean soup. I microwaved a sweet potato for me and a regular potato for Josh. On top of my potato went black bean soup and salsa with a side of apple (duh):
Josh will have the same toppings and an artichoke burger on the side.
Other fun stuff:
I got a sweet holiday card from Stonyfield Farms today (Thank you thank you!):
I got a sweet holiday card from Stonyfield Farms today (Thank you thank you!):
Frank is competing in a Hallmark card contest, please vote for him!
Frank A Dog Named Christmas
I want to send a BIG congrats out to Caroline (the WONDERFUL representative who sent me the V8 Soup to try) for doing awesome at her Body Pump training this weekend!!
I want to send a BIG congrats out to Caroline (the WONDERFUL representative who sent me the V8 Soup to try) for doing awesome at her Body Pump training this weekend!!
AND (lastly) I have another request for all of you! I am taking a trip to TJs during Thanksgiving and want to know what TJs products you’re loving these days. On my list so far is:
Nut Butter
Gingerbread Coffee
21 Salute Seasoning & Smoked Chipotle Hummus (thank you Julie ;))
Nut Butter
Gingerbread Coffee
21 Salute Seasoning & Smoked Chipotle Hummus (thank you Julie ;))
54 comments:
I will totally vote for Frank!
As for TJ's...I love the PB & A trail mix. So delicious!
And they have some great granola varieties but it looks like you got that covered! :)
Hope Frank wins!! :)
Trader Joe's is one of the things I miss most at college, and one of the things I'm most looking forward to on break!
Almond butter is a must. Their whole wheat pita bread is great, too. They also have great whole wheat Papardelle pasta, all varieties of salsa (peach, pineapple, corn), and chips. Their whole wheat pretzels are also high on my list.
Have fun! Can't wait to see what you choose!
Ill vote for Frank!!!
OOH homemade granola.. I bet your house smelled amazing! I need to make my own.. I always buy in bulk but I can imagine yours tastes a lot better!
A for Trader Joes, I dont shop there a lot (love it but I have to drive there) but when I do, I alway stock up on their green tea and dried fruit! That aisle is totally insane.. soo overwhelming! lol
your granola looks awesome!
oh and a random question for you... where did you get your watch? I'm a runner too, and I never know how many calories or my heartbeat! I NEED one! :)
-Mini Baker
Voted! Hope he wins! He's the cutest.
Trader Joe's Valencia Peanut Butter w/ Flax Seeds is a must!
Hey girl! Oh TJ's, here comes the list of my current obsessions :)
Pumpkin butter, mini chocolate peanut butter cups, dark chocolate crisps, bleu cheese with cranberries (not sure if you do cheese though?), basmati rice, tomato chutney (amazing sauce with a kick, trust me!)... guess I'll stop there ;) The granola looks fantastic too btw!
Frank has my vote!! :) Best of luck, Frank!! :)
Your granolas look so fantastic - definitely better than anything you'd find at a store!!
I don't go to TJ's that often, but whenever I go, I always pick up almond butter, pre-made ww pizza dough, and I love all of their breads!
Voting for Frank!!! :)
OH MY gosh! You have to look at my dinner tonight. Girl, I'm really thinking this is getting a little out of hand! :) LoL, we are food soul mates!!!!!
Glad you had a great productive day in the kitchen. The granolas look fantastic!
Yay for TJ's! Let me look at my ultimate must have TJ list. (Yes I keep a list in my igoogle at all times!)
Okay you MUST get the Cran Apple Chutney, Greek Yogurt (the apricot/mango flavor is to die for!), Salmon Burgers (but do you eat fish, I can't remember), and the ALmond Windmill cookies are out of this world amazing!
Okay I'll probably think of more and tell you tomorrow. :)
Frank should totally win :)
TJ's... I love their pumpkin butter, PB filled pretzels, and their three layer hummus is wonderful as well. The spicy cilantro layer is to die for!
i want a TJS SOOOO MUCH!! Ive never been! i bet id be in heaven..homemade granola sounds so delish!
Gotta love Frank. I voted!
Your granola looks great! The tiny TJ's is insane here. Plus I refuse to go grocery shopping via subway. I do wish there was a really big one close by.
I was just telling Erik this weekend that I needed to make granola ... I will remember this, I like the idea of the fruit.
I'm definitely going to vote for Frank right now! ; )
Thanks for letting my know the brand of the watch! Its going on my christmas list :)
-Mini Baker
frank frank!! and fabulous granola :)
ahh let the jealously over TJ's begin...sigh.
never tried making my own granola...I'm still just a solid cereal with fruit fan
I am will vote for Frank!
I love the idea of counter snacks. I might use this for Christmas.
TJ's food I love-
Their brand of pop chips, nuts, all veggies, the veggie eggrolls, sunflower butter, naan, spiced apple cider, and so much more. Have fun and report back :)
The granolas look great!
I will totally vote for Frank. :)
I'm going to pick up some of TJ's maple nut cookies when I go there next...
Just voted for Frank...LOVE his pic!! He's too sweet.
I loooove TJ's almond butter, greek yogurt, and pumpkin butter...I need to venture out and try more of their stuff!!
Yum, granola! And I just voted for Frank :)
HA!! haha oh my god Frank totally better win :) I'll be so excited for you if he does!!
I'm super pumped (body pumped hahahaha horrible joke) for you to hit up TJs this weekend! I love how you're "counter snacks girl" I'm "bring the healthy desserts girl" even though most people dont opt for them evennn though they're delicious! atleast I know I'll have options haha
oooh I have a google question for you. Since you use blogger for blogging...are you able to respond to people's comments directly through email like through their comment? Does that make sense? I didn't know if there was a setting on google for that and was sliiightly hoping you might know the answer. you're a doll ;)
Frankster's the winner! I could just go for Thanksgiving for your counter snacks....look'in good girl!
I luv all and anything TJ's!
Have fun and keep baking!
Enjoy!
the first granola looks great! i'd like to try granola w/ fresh fruit too!
I'm loving all the ways you've been using that soup! Awesome...
Both granola recipes look delish. I've never made homemade granola before. It's something that I would constantly snack on, I think. I should give it a go for the holiday's, though!
Going to vote for Frank right now!
I want to vote - but I can't!!! It's Hallmark :((((((((
TJs...so many good things!
Almond butter a definite, and Jenna is right on you can't pass up the three layer hummus, it AMAZING!
I also love the ww Naan, and in the freezer section the Channa Marsala, it's awesome. But I have never bought something I didn't like! :)
Yummy pics! I'm so obsessed with Trader Joe's - looks good!!
And another great run - that's awesome!
Frank is too cute. The granola looks awesome, how does it taste??
TJ's....
- PB filled pretzels (they are like crack)
- Almond butter
- Pumpkin butter
- Hummus
- frozen fruit & veggies
- cheese, they have lots of great kinds
- gingersnaps (hubby loves them)
- marinara sauce, good & cheap
- curry sauce
- olive tapenade (great for an easy appetizer)
I'm sure I'm forgetting a few other favorites. Oh... and decent cheap beer & wine.
Yea for Frank:) Which granola did you like better? I am going to make a bunch soon! Have fun at TJ, we don't have one in Utah, sad(
I'm so gonna vote for Frank!
-Almond butter
-Pumpkin butter
-Indian food
-Tofu (its way cheaper there!)
i just voted for frank!
ummm love all the granola making! i would recommend TJ's curry sauces as well as their PBJ trail mix. sooooo good!
ahhh! frank! he better win. i love him. the granolas look great, love the apple addition. going to vote now!
I highly recommend TJ's honey sesame cashews and their baked blue corn chips!
TJs
Any and all of their dried fruit and nuts. Choc coated, plain, etc.
Their Dark Roast Sumatra for a huge can for $4.99 is the best deal on the planet. And it blows starbucks' sumatra outta the water.
Sunflower Seed Butter ** must get this!!!!!
Chip & cracker aisle...there is a red bagged chip that's called Adzuki Bean this or that...anyway, souds gross, but is gluten free and ROCKS.
I will think of more and LYK. Do you eat meat? There is a sweet & sour chicken that my husband adores, huge orange bag in the freezer section.
Your granola, Weed Inspired and otherwise, rocks.
I voted!! Good luck to Frank :)
Um, I think the better question is what DON'T I love (uh, nothing...)
Just voted for Frank! I am not lying when I say I think he is quite possibly one of the cutest dogs ever.
YAY for homemade apple granola! I totally love it with the apples, thanks for the link love! :D
What a great run this morning! I gotta save those longer runs for the weekend, it must have felt great to crank one out first thing on a Monday morning!
mmm the granola's look sooo good! thanks for posting the recipes :)
trader joes...what DONT I love from this place?? their granolas are amazing, as well as the trail mix and dried fruit concoctions
also the mango and cranberry chutney is phenom!
GO FRANK!!!!
when will we know if he wins?
trader joe's! <3 here are some of my staple items I get from there:
-peanut butter filled pretzels
-mini peanut butter cups
-fruit leather
-pesto ravioli (not fresh - in the pasta isle)
-kalamta olive hummus
-chocolate! - you have to look around for their bittersweet baking chocolate - its amazing!
-morning glory muffins
-TJ's greek yogurt
-marinara sauce
-raw nuts for snacking and baking - they are so cheap at TJs!
-honey & agave
I am headed down there tomorrow, so if I think of anything else I will e-mail you =)
I love Trader Joe's. The one closest to me is a twenty minute drive so I don't go very often, and when I do go, I am overwhelmed!
I voted for him! He's so cute.
Thanks for the shout out : ) Congrats as well on your successful first complete run-through teaching Body Pump. It seems like quite a hefty endeavor at this point but I hope to achieve it by the years end!
Oh, wow, do I miss Trader Joe's!
I moved from San Francisco to Boulder a year ago, and there are no TJs here. So I don't actually even remember what I used to get. But frozen shrimp siu mai rings a bell.
BODA weight loss
I just voted for Frank!! SO CUTE!!
I was thinking of making some granolas for the holidays too!
Nice run!
Hmmm TJ's, that's a hard one. They do have these new nut clusters dipped in a little dark chocolate and have a little sea salt on them...SO GOOD! I always stock up on nuts there too because they have the best prices.
Ooooo!!! Ok, TJs loves:
Toasted unsalted pumpkin seeds
Buffalo burgers (for Ray, in the frozen section)
Bread and butter pickles
Mini cafe twists (little puff pastry cookies, 30 calories each!)
pumpkin butter of course
i LOVE that granola, both of them look amazing! i'm off to vote for frank!
I don't know if it's too early but I LOVE TJ's Peppermint oreo-type cookies. I know, I know, I should say something healthy but oh well :-)
Also, they sell almond meal which is great for baking and vanilla beans WAY cheaper than anywhere else.
I love TJ's corn chile salsa. I'm obsessed!
I hope ya'll have a wonderful Thanskgiving!
And the quesdillas didn't get made b/c I came home to a wuffling Ben who was dying for food. Le sigh. Soon, I promise!
omg gingerbread coffee looks amazzzzinnnggg!!
Homemade granola>store bought stuff. Always.
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