Pumpkin Flax Granola

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Prep time: about 40 minutes, can be split

Bake time: 45-60 minutes

Servings: 12

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Ingredients

¼ cup chia seeds

¼ cup flax seeds

½ cup virgin coconut oil

1 cup almonds, chopped

1 cup walnuts, chopped

1 cup pumpkin seeds, chopped

2 tbsp cinnamon

5 cups old fashioned rolled oats or rolled barley; barley can be bought Alaska Grown

½ cup raw honey

 

Tools needed

Oven

Large metal mixing bowl and flat spoon

9”x13” glass or stoneware baking pan

Recipe can be doubled using larger bowl and pan and longer bake time

Blender or good hand chopper

Hot pads

 

Heat oven to 375 F

 

Mix chia and flax seeds with coconut oil; chop nuts and pumpkin seeds. This can be done ahead (20 minutes).

Mix chopped almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and cinnamon with chia, flax, and coconut oil.

When cinnamon is evenly distributed, mix in oats/barley.

Place in baking dish and bake 12 minutes; place on hot pad, stir granola, drizzle ½ of honey.

Bake 12 minutes, stir and add remaining honey; continue baking 12 minutes and stirring between until grains are light brown, usually 2-3 more times- Adjust to taste

When done, pour into large metal bowl for quick cool down before storage- Cool and dark storage is better

Making  Breakfast Count

 

Eating breakfast is important, but eating immediately after waking is not necessary to have healthy breakfast habits.

 

Listening to body cues regarding eating is a key step towards better health, so trust your body to let you know when it is time for breakfast.

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Then start the day with a well-rounded meal like eggs and whole wheat toast, quesadilla with cheese and avocado, or yogurt and granola. 

 

The combination of protein, fat and complex carbohydrates in the first meal provides a steady energy supply to help balance meals throughout the day for good health

Tips

 

Beware products that normally contain fat but are made “fat free”. Fat is replaced with starches that add hidden refined carbohydrates

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Also

Make sure to get fiber in each

meal to slow down energy delivery and balance cholesterol

Overnight Oats

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Prep time: about 10 minutes

Soak time: at least 4 hours; keeps 4-5 days

Servings: 1; multiply for food prep

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Ingredients

6 oz low fat or whole milk plain yogurt

¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 tbsp chia seeds

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Add 1 tsp honey or maple syrup if desired; if topping with fruit additional sweetener may not be needed

Mix ingredients in glass container and soak overnight

Top with chopped nuts and fruit shortly before eating to prevent nuts and fruit getting soggy.

Multiply recipe for food prep and keep refrigerated for use through the week.

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*Nutrition Facts information is for overnight oats made with low fat plain yogurt

Nutrition for Immune Health

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Eating whole grains, including fruits and/or vegetables in every meal, and including plant based proteins and fat often helps nourish the immune system.

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BUT without rest to let the system recharge and balance hormones, and without regular (daily) physical activity to circulate lymph fluid- a crucial component of the immune system- the nourishment will not reach target tissues.

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Sleeping 7 to 9 hours per night, and taking a 20-40 minute nap during the day to recharge if needed should do the trick.

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30 minutes of daily moderate exercise, for example a brisk walk that elevates your heart rate but does not keep you from talking, is ideal.

 

Any amount of activity is better than no activity, and as little as 5-10 minutes of daily moderate exercise improves health and immune functions

-parking further from the store

-taking the stairs down and/or up instead of the elevator

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It all adds up