Last Friday I took the opportunity presented by an unseasonably warm day to run outside for a change. It had been a couple of months since I had confined my running to the treadmill in the basement. As I've mentioned, I don't mind running on the treadmill, especially when there is something good on TV, but it was nice to get some fresh air and a change of pace.
I put all my cold gear on, grabbed my MP3 player and my new headphones (my trusty old ones broke) and headed out the door. It's always a shot of confidence when I emerge from the basement to run outside because I find that I go at a faster pace for the same effort.
Everything was going fine until I had about 1 ½ miles to go, when my earphones refused to stay in my ears. I was forced to abandon the book I was listening to and actually think. I wish I could say that I had some life altering epiphany, but I didn't. My thoughts went something like this:
Stupid headphones! … Why is my hip doing that? … That's a big dog, I hope that fence is closed. … My breathing sounds like a woman in labor … Hoo hoo heeee … What color should we paint the living room? … That yappy dog is annoying … Blue? … That's a nice car … Brown? … Hoo hoo heee … My toe hurts … I wonder what's for lunch … This road is bumpy … Bright pink? … I'm tired … Hoo hoo heeeeee …
And so on. I think I need new headphones before my own thoughts annoy me to death.
**********
I put all my cold gear on, grabbed my MP3 player and my new headphones (my trusty old ones broke) and headed out the door. It's always a shot of confidence when I emerge from the basement to run outside because I find that I go at a faster pace for the same effort.
Everything was going fine until I had about 1 ½ miles to go, when my earphones refused to stay in my ears. I was forced to abandon the book I was listening to and actually think. I wish I could say that I had some life altering epiphany, but I didn't. My thoughts went something like this:
Stupid headphones! … Why is my hip doing that? … That's a big dog, I hope that fence is closed. … My breathing sounds like a woman in labor … Hoo hoo heeee … What color should we paint the living room? … That yappy dog is annoying … Blue? … That's a nice car … Brown? … Hoo hoo heee … My toe hurts … I wonder what's for lunch … This road is bumpy … Bright pink? … I'm tired … Hoo hoo heeeeee …
And so on. I think I need new headphones before my own thoughts annoy me to death.
**********
This is a treat that, while not technically a dessert, does contain sugar. If you like crunchy, high quality granola instead of the chopped cardboard you find in the grocery store then this is for you!
Cameron's Nutty Granola
Ingredients
4 cups rolled oats
1 ¾ cup slivered almonds
1 ½ cup cashews
1 cup sunflower seeds
½ cup pistachios (usually, I can only find salted. Seems to work fine)
1/3 cup pinenuts
1 ¾ cup shredded sweet coconut
¾ cup dark brown sugar
¾ cup honey
½ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ tsp salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup dried cranberries
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ginger preserve (or ½ tsp dried ground ginger)
Directions
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, brown sugar, and dry spices.
In a separate bowl, combine honey, oil, ginger preserve and salt. Combine both mixtures thoroughly and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.
Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins and cranberries and mix until evenly distributed. Allow to cool and gently break.
4 cups rolled oats
1 ¾ cup slivered almonds
1 ½ cup cashews
1 cup sunflower seeds
½ cup pistachios (usually, I can only find salted. Seems to work fine)
1/3 cup pinenuts
1 ¾ cup shredded sweet coconut
¾ cup dark brown sugar
¾ cup honey
½ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ tsp salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup dried cranberries
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ginger preserve (or ½ tsp dried ground ginger)
Directions
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, brown sugar, and dry spices.
In a separate bowl, combine honey, oil, ginger preserve and salt. Combine both mixtures thoroughly and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.
Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins and cranberries and mix until evenly distributed. Allow to cool and gently break.
Note: Nuts can be expensive, particularly the pine nuts and pistachios. If you can afford them, use them. They make it taste awesome. If not, use cheaper nuts, but not peanuts. I've also used pecans and really liked it.
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