Granola

Over the past year, yogurt and granola has become our staple breakfast.  Not only is it healthy and satisfying, but it is also quick and easy to travel with.  While there are a variety of commercially and locally made granolas available at the store, it starts to become expensive. We've found that homemade granola is simple to make and there are endless variations.  Nuts, dried fruits and maple syrup can get expensive, but when used in moderation and bought in bulk it can be considerably cheaper than pre-made granola.  In addition, granola is a great gift and can be customized according to the season and tastes of your recipient.  Here are two of our favorite combinations and we encourage you to experiment with your own ingredient preferences.  We are sure granola will soon become a staple breakfast, snack and dessert.

Whole Wheat Bagels

One of our favorite ways to begin a weekend morning is with a fresh and warm bagel and cream cheese.  While we certainly have some favorite local bagel shops, we decided to try to make some of our own.  The process itself is a bit time consuming but the results - pillowy soft and airy bagels - are well worth the effort.  This is a fun project for a calm weekend morning and freezing the bagels will allow you to enjoy them for weeks or months to come.  These bagels are relatively small, so plan on one and a half or two per person, and you can experiment with toppings of your choice.  We used the classic "everything" toppings - garlic, sesame seed, poppy seed, and salt - but are looking forward to experimenting with more flavors in the future.  To top them off, we made raisin walnut cream cheese which added a wonderful sweetness and crunch.  Start off your next weekend with this delicious treat and let us know what toppings you like best!