Muesli!

This recipe makes an ENORMOUS batch of - for serious - the best muesli/granola you've ever had. AND it's a gazillion times cheaper than store-bought granola (yes, a gazillion - I did the math). The basis of this recipe was swiped from 101cookbooks.com, where it's suggested that you stir in sliced dried fruit at the end. However, Lupe and I decided to eat it without the fruit; instead, we sprinkled it on top of some greek yogurt and a spoonful of cherry preserves. Heaven in a bowl.

Ingredients:
6 cups rolled oats
1 cup dried shredded coconut
1 cup sunflower seeds
2 tbs sesame seeds
1 cup slivered almonds
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Combine the first five ingredients in a large bowl. Heat the honey and vegetable oil over low heat in a small saucepan. When it's all warm and liquid-ey, pour it over the dry ingredients and mix well. (It works best if you add a little at a time, stirring in between additions).

Spread the mixture out in two baking pans (the whole process is MUCH easier if you use pans with rims!). Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, try not to eat it all at once.

Quinoa Breakfast Cereal

I've been really into quinoa lately . . . it's really good for you (lots of protein in a grain -- woohoo!) and also really inexpensive. It has a slightly nutty flavor (yum), and it takes all of 10-15 minutes to cook.

Serves 1

anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 cup quinoa, depending on how hungry you are
pinch salt
about 1/2 cup chopped apple
about 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted if you like
brown sugar to taste
cinnamon to taste
nutmeg to taste
splash of milk or cream (optional)

Boil water (1/2 cup water if you're making 1/4 cup quinoa) and add a pinch of salt (very important! Makes it much tastier). Add quinoa and cook, covered, for about 5 minutes. Add apple, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and cook until the water is absorbed and the outside germ of the grain is visible (it'll look like a little ring around it. Personally, I like leaving it a teeny bit crunchy). Remove from heat; stir in walnuts and add milk or cream, if using.

Best eaten on a chilly morning :-)