Crunchy Maple Pecan Granola

I love the recipe for crunchy pumpkin granola and make it often but I found another recipe I love just as much.   It's loaded with pecans, crunchy and has a touch of maple flavor.  I adapted both recipes from the same blog Sally's Baking Addiction.  Check it out, her food photography makes you want to make every one of her recipes.

My favorite way to eat this granola is mixed into my favorite yogurt, noosa.  It's thick and perfectly sweet with yummy flavors like mango, peach, strawberry rhubarb and coconut to name a few.  It's pricey compared to other yogurt brands but it's so worth it.  It's larger in size, 8oz so it keeps me full until lunch.

Ingredients:  maple syrup, brown sugar, coconut oil, cinnamon, salt, oats pecans

Combine the maple syrup, brown sugar, coconut oil, cinnamon and salt.

Add the oats and nuts.

Spread onto baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes, string every 10 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp melted coconut oil
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup pecan pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Combine the maple syrup, brown sugar, melted coconut oil, cinnamon and salt.
3. Add the oats and nuts: stir until all the oats are evenly coated.
4. Spread onto baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes (until golden brown), stirring every 10 minutes.  
5. Allow to cool completely and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction 

                                                                             

4th of July

We sure had a wonderful, fun packed 4th of July weekend.  We spent time with family and friends hiking, biking, picnicking and relaxing.   While watching the fire works we were entertained by this little girl.  She orchestrated the fire works the whole time.  She was singing, Disney's Frozen "Let it Go".  How adorable is that!

For our picnic, one recipe I love making when there is going to be a crowd is my Black Bean Avocado Salsa.  It's a recipe I make all year round but in the summer when corn is available it's even better with the fresh roasted corn.  If (and that is a big IF) there is any left over it will keep in the fridge until the next day.  I just lay plastic wrap right on top of the salsa so that the avocado won't turn brown.   The next day it makes a great topping for a salad.  I just grill up some shrimp and it becomes an amazing shrimp fiesta salad.