Mmmm! Homemade granola!

We LOVE granola cereal here . . . but it's hard to justify the hefty price tag at the grocery store when it's sooooo easy to make at home! Here are two of our favorites:

Granola

3 1/2 cups oatmeal

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup honey (can use more)

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

1/4 - 1/2 cup of any of the following: raisins, craisins, sunflower seeds, coconut, slivered almonds

(I often throw in some wheat germ and ground flax seed as well)

Directions: Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Heat honey and oil on stove until liquidy. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add honey and oil mixture; stir until everything is moist. Bake in 13x9 pan for 30-60 minutes (depending on how crisp you want your granola to be). I bake mine for 60 minutes. Also, I've found that we like it better when the raisins and/or craisins are added when the granola comes out of the oven; otherwise, they dry out too much if they're in while you bake it.

This is a very forgiving recipe -- you really can't mess it up! And I usually make at least a double batch so it lasts a few days! ;)

Peanut Butter Granola

(this recipe is from another FIAR mom -- thanks, Rebecca!)

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup peanut butter

Melt these two ingredients together until smooth, over low heat. Then stir in:

1/3 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

When all ingredients are warm and smooth, stir in 3 cups of rolled oats until well coated. Put the oat mixture on an ungreased cookie sheet or 13x9 pan. Bake at 375 for approximately 10 minutes, or until crisp. At this point, you can toss in raisins, craisins, sunflower seeds, etc. Then cool and store tightly covered.

This is especially delicious with sliced bananas on top! Yummy!

What's cooking at our house . . .

We are trying to eat healthier in the New Year . . . okay, so we always try to eat healthy (it's just that sometimes we're more successful than others). Anyway, I found this recipe a few months back and we LOVE it! It's really healthy and very inexpensive too, which is another plus!

Lentil and Brown Rice Casserole

3 cups broth (chicken or veggie)

3/4 cup green lentils

1/2 cup brown rice

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions: Preheat oven to 300. Combine broth, lentils, rice, onion, and spices in 13x9 glass baking dish. Stir together and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Return to oven and bake uncovered for 20 more minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Serve with steamed broccoli or a garden salad. Enjoy!

Ten Predictions for 2010

I found these online somewhere . . . can't remember where at the moment . . . but they really encouraged me. I hope they do the same for you!

Ten Predictions for 2010

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
2. Prayer will still be the most powerful thing on earth.
3. The Holy Spirit will still move.
4. God will honor the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praise to God.
7. God will still pour out His blessing upon His people.
8. There is still room at the cross.
9. Jesus will still love you.
10. Jesus will continue to save the lost.

Isn't it great to remember that He is really in control! The Word of the Lord endures forever! (1 Peter 1:25)

Word for 2010

Happy New Year! I can't believe that it's 2010 already! It seems like only yesterday we were beginning 2000 . . . anyone remember Y2K??? I was a newlywed, celebrating our first New Year's as husband and wife. Ten years and two children later, our lives have definitely changed -- for the better!

Anyway, for the past couple of years, I have chosen a word to focus on throughout the year -- something to give me a direction as I seek to grow in my relationship with the Lord as well as in the relationships I have with other people.

This year, the word that God really impressed on my heart is ADORE. The week before Christmas, Brent preached a message about what it means to adore Christ. As He was preaching, God spoke that He wanted me to focus on adoring Him in the upcoming year. I know that when my focus on the Lord is where it should be, other things in my life will fall into place.

So, what does it mean to ADORE? According to the dictionary, to ADORE is to regard with the utmost esteem, love and respect. It can also mean to worship. One of the things Brent said in his message is that true adoration is a product of the heart; it's not just doing things out of obligation. It's so easy to find myself doing things . . . even good things . . . out of a sense of obligation. Whether it's spending time in the Word, serving at church, even caring for the needs of my family, I want to learn how to do all things flowing out of my adoration of the Lord.

Okay, enough rambling for now . . . but I will be revisiting this word again and again this year. I'm looking forward to all that God will teach me about adoring Him!