Life Granola

“Just made this tonight. It’s wonderful.”  Yum! A recipe arrived from my son … and it made me think. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could mix all the very best ingredients up in a large bowl, bake it and have a wonderful life? This is Cat Wilson with a lovely and yummy thought today.  If your life is granola, what is in your bowl?
Granola is a little of this and a little of that.  Some people like oats and some people like dried fruits and nuts. Some people love art, music, humor and some love sports and animals. You are unique and special with your own recipe.  What if you could make up a recipe for your own personal life granola?  What if it was yummy and healthy?  I wonder what ingredients your life granola would contain …
Sample Life Granola Recipes
Here are some sample recipes to get you thinking.
Rich’s Life Granola:     My partner Rich gave this recipe for his Life Granola.  Nuts, raisins, coconut flakes, nature, sports, reading, movies, friends, and interesting things to do with the health to enjoy it. Leave it out at room temperature and let it act like potpourri and see what it attracts. Flies, ants, or cats, and let them put their stamp of approval on it.  Mix a liberal dose of caffeine for waking the mind. Add the milk of aliveness and enjoy my creation with a mindful taste of quietness.
Cat’s Life Granola (from Rich’s perspective):   When I asked Rich what was in my life bowl, he says:  Gluten free cookie crumbs, coconut for crunchiness, cinnamon to spice up life, Brazilian nuts for adventure, cracker jacks with a prize, bits of rainbow bits for creativity, some fiber for taking care of the body, berry nice people, sesame oil for shine, honey for stick-to-it-ness, mini marshmallows for the soft part of me, and dried cherries for joy! Oh, remember chocolate for the smooth and sweet side of me. Server with ginger tea or Pushpa’s Chai.
Mary’s Life Granola:  Just to round things off, here is my good friend Mary’s recipe.  Mary writes life stories. Nuts for family and friends, oats for sowing wildness, chocolate bits, Greek yogurt for smoothing things out, some kind of dried fruit like blueberries and cranberries just because they are good for you, some witty spice, and furry friends.  No coconut, but do add dried veggies like freeze dried beans and peas for stopping in life and noticing the moment. Add rose hips for more notice. Pet gently and keep in a tree-filled environment.
Make Your Own Life Granola

In the “kitchen of your life” you can make up any recipe that suits you. Let’s do a recipe exchange!
What is in your Life Granola?
Take a moment and get a sense of the tastes you enjoy. Grab whatever you have on hand and toss in some interesting and fascinating bits of life. I’d love to hear about your recipes.
In the event that you want the recipe from my son, who is a busy Architect Intern in San Francisco, see below. (It’s good to know where the recipe was created.) I would like to add that if you want to truly enjoy his secret ingredients, you might also want to add:  Pieces of cocoa for individuality, lots of circles (it’s his favorite shape) of tasty bits, the sun and the moon, a full glass of integrity, clear communication, and some ginger for hidden meanings.
Granola
Ingredients – Adjust to taste. Put more or less of what you like.

• 4 cups old-fashioned or quick-cooking rolled oats
• 3/4 cup unsalted raw sunflower seeds
• 1 cup walnuts or macadamia nuts, chopped into halves or quarters
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup assorted unsulfured dried fruits (try tropical fruits like dried pineapple and dried papaya), chopped
• Grated zest of 2 oranges
• 3/4 cup raw mild-flavored honey
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• Lots of you (i.e. joys, fun, disciplines, talents, oddities, dreams, etc.)

Cook

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F and set-aside 2 rimmed baking sheets.
2. Combine the oats, sunflower seeds, walnuts, coconut, dried fruits, and zest in a large bowl. Heat the honey and coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat, whisk to thoroughly combine, then pour over the oat mixture and stir until everything is well coated.
3. Divide the mixture between the baking sheets and spread into a thin layer. Bake, stirring every 10 minutes, for about 35 minutes, until toasty golden brown. Cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Invitation to Your Life

You are invited to live your life. Choose your ingredients, and make your life granola your way! Should you need or want help, you know you can call Apositiva for coaching, counseling, hypnotherapy, training, and much more. I look forward to seeing your recipes for Your Life Granola.