Notes About Oats: Oats are an amazing source of fiber, help to lower cholesterol (in turn heart disease), and stabilize blood sugar levels.
I’ve always been enamored of oats. Granola, granola bars, oatmeal raisin cookies, oatmeal. You name it, I eat it. A friend recently asked me why I’m so in love with oats. Here it goes: I adore the rough texture and tiny size of the little rascals as well as the sound of their crunch. Then, there’s nothing more satisfying then the golden hue of oats after they’ve been baked.
Granola, my favorite way of eating oats, makes me feel healthy when I eat it because I know I’m putting good stuff into my body. The best recipes incorporate lots of wholesome things such as nuts, seeds, coconut, and dried cranberries. Finally, though I’m not so fond of extremely sugary recipes, just the right amount of healthy honey or agave satisfies my sweet-tooth.
Great Homemade Granola Bars
Last weekend I decided to try my hand at making granola bars at home. I turned to one of my favorite baking resources, www.smittenkitchen.com. The recipe I found was already edited (ie: sugar had been eliminated) to make the bars healthier.
I brought a bunch of the bars to my yoga studio the following morning and put them out for students, teachers, and staff. Within a minute after class let out, only crumbs could be found at the bottom of the tupper ware. One of my colleagues missed the main event, but scrounged around for a few last crunchies. He walked away with a broad smile on his face. This recipe is wonderful.
Great Homemade Granola
A variation on the above recipe I’ve tried, substitutes agave for honey which transforms the final product into granola rather than granola bars. The result is equally delicious.
One of the best granola recipe I’ve ever had is the one served by Backyard Bowls in Santa Barbara. It’s a hemp granola made by Manitoba Harvest with lots of other healthy nutritious seeds in it. It has the perfect crunch, and is just sweet enough. Eating it dry, which sometimes I enjoy doing for breakfast or a snack, is also an excellent way to enjoy it. Here is the recipe which we can all make at home:
www.manitobaharvest.com/recipes/recipe.asp?id=110.
Why are hemp seeds good for you? Hemp is rich in complete protein and has highly proportioned omega 3 fatty acids.
