Pumpkin Granola Bars

A goal I have set for this year is for our entire family to eat healthier – more fruits and veggies and less processed foods.  We’ve been doing fairly well considering we have a newborn in the house :-).

My friend, Susie, posted a great recipe for homemade granola bars last year.  A few weeks ago, I decided to try her recipe and discovered that I loved it.  Super easy and versatile, how could you go wrong?  Over the weekend, I realized that I had frozen pumpkin from the holidays that I needed to use quickly.  I decided to tweak the basic granola recipe and use pumpkin instead of applesauce and they turned out wonderfully.  Admittedly, I’m a pumpkin girl and I’m happy to enjoy the flavor year round (which explains the 4 large cans of pumpkin in my pantry).

Here’s my tweaked recipe for pumpkin granola bars. 

Ingredients:

2 cups quick cooking oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup wheat germ

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup raisins

2/3 cup pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

½ cup honey

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350.  Spray 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray.

2. In a large bowl, stir together oats, flour, brown sugar, wheat germ, salt, cinnamon, chocolate chips and raisins.  In a smaller bowl, thoroughly blend pumpkin, honey, egg and vanilla extract.  Add the wet mixture into the dry mixture and mix until well combined.

3. Press evenly into prepared baking dish.  If you are having trouble spreading, cover with wax paper and press down with a cup or small bowl.

4. Bake for 20 minutes in preheated oven or until the edges are golden brown.  Cool completely before turning out onto a cutting board and cutting into bars.

When I make granola bars, I double the recipe and bake in a jelly roll pan.  That makes plenty of bars for everyone to enjoy throughout the week.

Lent is Coming

The season of Lent begins next Wednesday and I've been trying to think of something to abstain from during that time, something that I will have to make a real effort to avoid and something that will afford me the chance to replace it with a positive.

And, I've reached a decision... I'll be giving up Facebook during Lent.  I will not be posting or checking Facebook during the entire season.  To be honest, it's not like I spend hours each day on Facebook.  Truly, I don't.  But, I do take a few minutes here and there to check in on updates from friends and to periodically post an update for myself.  You may be wondering what positive thing I intend to do in place of Facebook.  I will get back on track with reading my Bible each day.  I've been struggling lately with trying to find the time.  I know I should spend quiet time each day with God, but I also know that I rarely do.  It's one of those things I need to prioritize better - as in FIRST.

So, don't be alarmed if it seems that I've fallen off  Facebook.  I'll just be on hiatus for a while.

Family, Faith and Friends (Random)

Total and complete randomness from the past few weeks…

Tomorrow will mark 3 weeks since returning to work.  I can’t believe how quickly the time continues to pass.  I feel so incredibly blessed to have a husband who loves and supports our family.  Being a stay-at-home parent isn’t easy, whether you are a mom or dad.  And, I think the mental stress may be a little more for dads because of society’s quizzical look.

We’re starting to get into actual routines around the house again, well, sort of.  I’d love to say that my house is totally clean, but it isn’t.  Nowhere near, but it’s getting there.  I find that we have small windows of opportunity to deal with housework and we’re doing our best to make the most of those windows.

I’m committed to feeding my family healthier choices this year.  Selfishly, it’s easier for me to make healthy choices when I force everyone else to make them too :-P  Of course, I haven’t figured out how to put healthy and cheap into the same sentence, but I do find that we actually eat less when it’s healthy?!?  Over the weekend, my shopping trips were to Target (baby formula, staples like sugar and cream cheese), Harris Teeter (bulk of groceries but not produce), Whole Foods (produce and yogurt) and BJ’s (bulk items that I know we’ll use – cascade, oats, chocolate chips, etc).  We’ve started couponing again too.  Abby helped me put our binder together on Saturday.  It’s in a very nice NC State 3-ring binder and she’s quite proud to tote that into the store.

Don’t you just hate it when you feel like you’re doing a good (or at least decent) job of keeping up with life and you get totally blind-sided?  I mean “out of left field” and absolutely no warning?  I’ve been struggling with a total blind-side… something that was totally out of my control and I still couldn’t fully explain if I tried.  But, I knew my reaction was in my control and I wanted to react in faith instead of fear or anger.  So much easier said than done and I’m not there yet.  I’m still struggling.  Each day offers a new challenge, but I’m hanging in there.  A good friend who has walked in similar shoes gave two pieces of advice that I think were so appropriate: 1) people or situations that try to steal your joy cannot take away your birthday – it will always be your day to celebrate and enjoy (seems silly, but it does help to brighten your outlook when you just don’t know what to do) and 2) the smell of a baby’s head will fix anything (so true… I find myself sniffing Katie’s head all of the time).

Valentine’s Day offered me a new perspective this year.  Abby has a crush on a little boy from her class last year and he seems to be smitten with her too (don’t get me started…)  Anyway, she wanted to give him a “special” card.  The first card she made included “I love you” and I immediately nixed that draft.  I told her that she couldn’t put that on the card.  Period.  When she got home yesterday, we chatted about the special card he made for her.  Apparently, his first draft included those three special words too and his mom nixed it!  I love that we’re on the same page.  I get the crushes happen and kids will be kids, but I don’t want my 7 (almost 8, OMG) year-old daughter to get hung up on boys because that turns into her appearance and so on.  Yes, I’d like her to stay little a while longer, but I’m realizing that just isn’t going to happen.  I couldn’t believe how grown-up she looked in one of her Christmas pictures just 2 months ago.  I think I’m getting ready to experience the full meaning of ‘tween.’  Lord, help me.

Back in December, we traded our car in for something a bit larger (a crossover with a 3^rd row seat).  In January, it was in the shop for nearly an entire day to have some things serviced, only to discover there were still more things that needed review/repair.  [Insert long, frustrating back and forth with dealership – sales and service.] On Monday, the dealership sent a loaner car over to our house to pick up our car and leave us with the same model to use while they serviced everything.  As frustrating as the whole ordeal has been, I felt really blessed that they did all of that for us.  Granted, I think they should have done *something* considering all of the trouble we’ve had, but I digress.  Our car was returned last night around 6:30pm with everything repaired/replaced, a full tank of gas and completely detailed.  I fully admit that the gas tank was nearly empty when they picked it up on Monday ;-)

Even though we’re not thrilled about our current home location (we’re quite ready to move back toward North/West Raleigh), God reminded me things of beauty are everywhere – I saw a bald eagle flying overhead this morning as I walked the dogs.  I try to keep my desire to move in perspective – we are blessed with everything that we have, even if it means overlooking a few inconveniences and discomforts.  My biggest concern is safety, especially with the girls and I know that He will provide that for us no matter where we are.

And a New Month Begins

I can't believe January is already over.  Where did the month go?  As if time didn't move too quickly last year, this year seems to be stuck at full throttle and we're only on the 2nd month.  It feels like entire days pass by between blinks.

It's hard to believe Katie is two months old today. As I type that, I realize it's even harder to believe that I have an almost 8-year-old as Abby turns 8 a month from tomorrow.

Since time seems to be flying at such a rapid pace, I'm determined to do a better job of capturing the moments.  I'm in awe of friends that do such a good job of this (and always have).  I think about things just after the moment has passed and kick myself for not acting sooner.  I've even started carrying my camera in my purse in the hope that I having quick access will improve my reaction time.  Thus far, I've seen no improvement, but I'm holding out hope - it's still early in the year :-)

The Heart Grows

I must admit something that I'm not sure I've fully admitted to anyone before... growing up, I was certain that I only wanted to have one child as an adult and I would NEVER have more than one child.  EVER.  Why? I had plenty of friends with siblings - older, young, twins.  And, as an only child, I couldn't imagine forcing my own child(ren) to grow up knowing (or thinking) that Mom or Dad had favorites.  Thinking of friends' families growing up, only a single family comes to mind that never showed favoritism to any of their children (at least to those of us on the outside).  They had three children and I was blessed enough to be friends, on some level, with each of them during high school.  Even in high school, I was always in awe of the support they each received from their parents and it was never apparent that Mom or Dad had favorites.  (Disclaimer - I have no idea how the children actually felt, at that time or now.)
Fast forward some years and I begin to realize how difficult life can be as an only child.  I recognize the events, the bonds and the lack of comrades to share in the aging of your parents.  Thankfully, I haven't even begun to get into the thick of that last one, but I know it's coming, eventually.  Amazing how time and experience can change one's perspective. 

So, that NEVER became MUST.  That MUST had a BUT.  I must have more than one child, BUT how will I be able to show each of them that I love them [the most]?  This BUT weighed particularly heavy on my mind and heart during the months leading up to Katie's birth.  I knew I was going to have to face that scenario and there was a deadline of sorts.  The deadline has come and passed and I was *thrilled* to discover that God had me covered.  At 1:15pm on Thursday, December 1, 2011, He placed His hands on my heart and stretched it ever so slightly... just enough to make room for Katie.  I was certain I would be forced to divvy up the existing territory inside my heart to share between Abby and Katie.  I had no idea that God would resolve my concerns by growing my heart just enough.

Thank you, God, for allowing me to experience your goodness and grace in my life.  Please help me to demonstrate this goodness and grace in my own life as a wife and mother.