Second Wind

Hi! Granola is super easy to make...your kids could make it. I can give you my recipe or you could search for one on-line. I buy my ingredients for it at our local health food store. Most health food stores have a bulk room where you can buy different types of seeds, nuts or dried fruit.

Thanks for your response! You better give me the recipe, I would be lost otherwise. My grandmother always used to make us granola but I never got her recipe. We buy granola that is "organic" and appears fairly healthy when reading the label and it's about $2.50 a pound. Don't know if it's cheaper to make or buy but am always open to try new homemade things. We have been having trouble finding this granola in stock lately that is why I am so excited to make my own so that I will always be "in stock." Thanks for your help.

Great job on the bike ride Jeff, I hope the back calms down soon. Cross training is great and you can still keep your fitness, so keep it up...

The granola I make is very basic. You can add different flavors, nuts, dried fruit to this basic recipe.

10 cups oats

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

2 cups coconut (I buy from health food store so it doesn't have added sugar)

1 cup sunflower seeds

Mix dry ingredients together in big bowl

In a smaller bowl mix together

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups honey ( I use agave)

1 cup water

Add the wet ingredients to the dry.

Spread ingredients evenly on cookie sheets or baking pans sprayed with Pam.

For this much granola it takes me four cookie sheets to spread it out thin enough. Sometimes I do it on two when I'm in a hurry but it's a bit thick. I don't know if it really makes a difference though.

Bake at 325 for 30 minutes stirring every 5 minutes.

Turn oven down to 250 stirring every 10-15 minutes for 30 minutes.

Note-I am terrible at remebering to stir (we have 5 little kids that distract me) but my granola always turns out fine.

Add dried fruit after it cools and place in airtight containers.

Some people add flaxseeds, sesame seeds, maple syrup instead of honey, all sorts of nuts and other seeds. Experiment and have fun. Hope it turns out.

Thanks Sarah. I will give it a try soon and let you know how it turns out. I did find this "agave" nectar you are talking about at Trader Joe's here in Las Vegas. It is $2.99 for a 11.75oz bottle (kinda small). Where do you get yours and what does it cost? Thanks again for posting this info I really do appreciate your time :)

i forgot the 2 t cinammon..sorry. I buy mine online from glorybee.com Buying agave in bulk is much cheaper than a health food store. It is however expensive compared to white sugar but so is honey. I just prefer agave.

Good job with the biking and staying positive through the back trouble. Usually when I've had back trouble it hasn't affected the running for more than a few days. Sometimes I've actually found easy run to help my back recover more quickly, but I also know others who get more grief if they don't stop running. HOpefully you can find just the right balance.