Madigan Feeding Leo

(Life Changing) Granola Recipe

I keep seeing granola recipes online at other family blogs... I didn't think I really needed to make my own since it's so easy to buy at the store. Boy, was I wrong! The Nut and Seed Granola recipe below was made last minute for Leo's birthday brunch. I set it out next to the vanilla yogurt. (Kyle wasn't into the idea at all.) Wwwweeeelllll, our whole family is pretty much addicted now! Kyle has been eating it a couple of times a day with fruit and yogurt, myself with lemon and vanilla yogurt and Leo by itself without anything but front teeth!
I think this will become one of those things that I make very week.

Nut & Seed Granola

From Feeding the Whole Family: Cooking with Cynthia Lair

3 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup almonds (I use sliced)

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

pinch sea salt

1/3 cup cold pressed veggie oil (I used coconut oil)

1/3 cup brown rice syrup or maple syrup

1/4 cup apple or orange juice (I use a morning blend with like 7 different kids)

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In large mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients. In separate small bowl combine all wet ingredients. Slowly pour wet over dry, using a spatula to fold and evenly coat the dry mixture with the wet. Spread over cookie sheets and bake. Turn granola every 15 to 20 minutes so it toasts evenly. Bake until granola is dry and golden (45-60 minutes total). Store in an airtight jar.

There's another recipe by the same person for Maple Butter Nut Granola here.

Outside Time

I totally forgot that while Kyle is re-cooperating from knee surgery, I'm in charge of all the shoveling! Good think I enjoy shoveling and had/have good company!

Birthday Boy!!

Leo turned one this past Saturday. We celebrated with a little brunch with a couple of families. It was fun to celebrate his birthday, but the poor guy was so tired that I think he missed some of the fun.


I made Leo his own little carrot cake birthday cake with a dab of cream cheese frosting. He liked it, but in true Leo fashion he did not devour it or make a serious mess. He ate a little of it and was done.
Happy Birthday to my sweet sweet baby boy!

Christmas!

Luckily this first picture is not what Christmas was. We snapped this thinking it was funny and in some ways it is. But in other ways it's kind of sad and brings back memories of trying so hard to wait to open presents. On Christmas Eve we hosted a nice dinner with prime rib, 4 cheese macaroni and cheese, roasted pear salad, tunnel of fudge cake, lemon cheesecake, mini crab cakes, stuffed mushrooms. It was wonderful, but Madigan was very excited about the gifts sitting under the tree and right before bed she finally melted down (hence the picture).
We had a wonderful quiet Christmas at home this year. No traveling, no plans, just doing whatever we wanted. I scheduled playdates for Madigan during the break and we rode the city bus for the first time. Christmas Day we ate leftovers from the night before and laid around the couch and floors playing and reading about our new toys.

Barnaby's Christmas Experience

The Help

Yup, this is our housekeeping help. Now do you understand why the floors are so hairy?