My excitement about granola

Since adapting Paleo eating, the #1 thing I've really missed is granola. I used to love putting some on top of yogurt or just eat alone so when I learned regular granola is a no-no, you sure bet I missed it. 

But...yes it gets better. I can across this recipe last week and got a lump in my throat. Well maybe not like that but I sure was happy and excited to make some granola. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole or halved nuts of choice (I used walnuts and almonds)
• 1 cup slivered or sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup seeds of choice (I used sunflower)
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1/2 shredded coconut
• 1 handful cranberries
• 1-2 bananas
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tsp coconut oil
• 2 heaping tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350
2. In a food processor (or blender), pulse the whole or halved nuts until they’re partially ground and partially still in small chunks.
3. Pour the nuts into a large mixing bowl, then stir in the slivered almonds, seeds, almond meal, coconut and cranberries.
4. Place the bananas, egg, vanilla, coconut oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt into the food processor and process for about 10-15 seconds until all the ingredients are puréed.
5. Pour the banana mixture into the dry mixture and stir until well coated.
6. Pour the nut mixture onto a parchment paper–lined baking sheet.
7. Bake in the oven for about 30 to 40 minutes, checking every 10 minutes and turning the chunks of granola with a large spoon to break up the very large pieces.
8. Remove from the oven and let cool, uncovered.
9. Store in the refrigerator.

I added a few handfuls to some almond milk for breakfast this weekend and 100% satisfied my craving for cereal-y foods. Perfect. 

What do to with old Bath and Body Works candle holders

Bear with me for a second while I turn my lifestyle blog into a crafty blog. 

I counted the other day how many empty candle holders I have from bath and body works. Around 3. Usually I'll clean them up and keep some cotton balls in them for the bathroom or a lipstick holder but I already have many of those, so I needed another idea. Enter Alex. He needed I felt his apartment needed some green and lightbulb! The holder could be a vase. 

Off I went to loblaws for a plant that cleans air (boy apartment..yuck)

It looks perfect in his kitchen window and I love how you can see the roots growing. 

Everything can change.

Cancer sucks. 

If this week has taught me anything, it's that we need to tell the ones we love that we love them and that our life is short and not guaranteed. 

Yesterday we lost Maria, a very close family friend to liver/bone and breast cancer. Her fourth time fighting cancer and it took her. 19 years of worrying about cancer and wondering if and when it would come back. 

Maria-you were my Aunt throughout life and when I worked with you. You treated me with kindness and love because that was filled in your heart. You were truly loved and will be missed. I can't wait to see you. 

Dinner tonight

It's starting (dare I say...) warming up a bit around here. I *hope* spring is on it's way sooner than later. This winter is one that'll go down in the books, ice storms and power failures for hours. 

During our Monday evening ritual, (dinner and watching the bachelor)  Alex and I made this stuffed pepper for dinner. It was really tasty and best of all, so easy to make. My kind of dinner. 

Just need a whole pepper, cut the top off and clean insides

cut up some garlic/onion and mushroom, saute for a few minutes and stuff in the peppers. 

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes and you've got a great yummy dinner just in time for Juan. 

Words

Whose done with winter and ready for spring? (1st day of spring=my birthday this year) I sure am. Right now, it is crazy snowing. Hasn't stopped since I woke up and the shovelling job I did do, is gone. I just want some sunshine in my life. 

 Lately I've been feeling down about not running. Feeling like I lost my identity as an athlete, going from training to half marathons and now just a gym rat made me feel like I wasn't that active. (Totally wrong.) So yesterday as I packing up my bodypump gear and about to change, I decided to run around the track. Just 1km. See how I felt. And you know, I enjoyed running that kimometer. As I was running around that little track I made a goal that instead of sitting on my step waiting for bodypump class to start I will run around the track a few times. Keep up my endurance and start building my leg muscles again. 

The falling snow is officially coming down harder so guess I should shovel again.  

Lost and found: Passion

Since I was a little girl, hmm around 8 or so I knew 10406% that I wanted to become an elementary teacher. That feeling when I would tell folks my plan gave me chills because it felt so right in my heart.

Thinking of teaching 22 eight year olds made me grin so much and I couldn't wait to have my own class. 

During the past few months at school, I've been hearing lots of talk of girls changing their ultimate job goals and saying that being around children this much is making them dislike children. I don't blame them for feeling that like. 

For me, around the end of October, I began to start thinking the same thoughts and second guessing my ability to be an amazing teacher. 

I was able to finish the semester while pushing the thoughts aside but they came back full force during the Christmas break. Fully thinking I've wasted 2.5 years of school on a program I don't like. 

Sharing with Alex and my parents that I was beginning to think I wasn't made to be a teacher and love on those children was tough. Tough because it's what everyone around me has encouraged me to pursue. 

Tough because if I don't teach, what other jobs are out there?!  Kidding, a little...

When classes were starting up again I prayed a lot for help and guidance, especially with doing a student placement in a school this semester. I needed help because I knew it wasn't right to go a full 180 on what passion. 

I guess these thoughts was stress creeping up on me because as soon as I was introduced to those sweet, sweet kindergartens children, I knew once again that I, Sarah will be a teacher one day. And a darn good one too.