Healthy Cinnamon Honey Granola

Healthy Cinnamon Honey Granola
I love having a bowl of granola cereal in the evenings.  However, last time I went to the store the price was too high for my liking.  So I decided to make my own!  It's super simple and has a great flavor!  I had a bowl last night and it passed the test.  Super yummy!  

Next time I may try upping the oven temp to see if I can get it a tad more crunchy.  But that's just a personal preference.  This recipe browned nicely and has a great flavor.

You can add dried or fresh fruit to it after you have baked it to add even more flavor.


Homemade Cinnamon Honey Granola

Ingredients
  • 9 cups oats *see notes

  • 1 cup organic honey (local is best)

  • 1 cup organic coconut oil

  • 1 t himalayan salt

  • 1 t ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 cup pecans, broken (optional)


Instructions
  • Preheat oven 350*.
  • In a large bowl, combine oats, salt, cinnamon, & pecans.
  • In a small saucepan, mix together honey and coconut oil.  Bring to a gentle boil, stirring to help break up clumps.  
  • Pour over dry ingredients and mix well.
  • Spread onto 2 large baking sheets, lined with parchment paper.
  • Bake in oven 15 minutes for soft granola
  •  For a more cereal-like granola, stir granola and place back in over for another 10 min.
  • Cool and store in air-tight container.
Notes:

*I did a mix of old fashioned oats and quick oats, about half and half, to add more texture and variety.

*If you want them a bit crunchier, try using a higher oven temp and check after 15 min



Check out this group  to join like-minded moms to offer support on your homesteading journey.

DIY Pumpkin Spice Creamer

Tis the season for all things pumpkin spice! I have been a lover of this season for a long time.  I love all things pumpkin spice!  However, the healthier I get the harder it is to find anything I can enjoy. So I found a recipe that I can make myself and enjoy without my body paying for it later. 


First, let me tell you that I absolutely LOVE my Vitality oils. They are approved for ingestion and a little goes a long way, making them a perfect match for all of your culinary needs. If you don’t have your kitchen stocked with Vitality Oils yet, let me know and I’ll be happy help you out! 


Now for the best part of this post, Pumpkin Spice Creamer! This is the perfect coffee creamer to kick off the fall season.  It's made with vitality essential oils to give your body extra immune support.  Not to mention that they make it taste amazing!


If you need the perfect mug to compliment your pumpkin spice coffee?  Check out our custom made mugs at Lavender & Coffee.  We welcome new design ideas, so feel free to browse our mugs and contact us with any new suggestions.  We also have a Winter Spice Mug gift set available that has a sample to use for some good pumpkin spiced coffee!



 Spiced Pumpkin Creamer


Ingredients

Instructions
Add all ingredients to a blender, blend until smooth.  Store in airtight container.  Keep refrigerated.  Shake well before using.



This post contains affiliate links, which means I will earn a small commission on purchases made through these links. I assure you that I only recommend products and companies that I trust and would purchase from personally. Thanks for reading! Our full disclosure policy isn’t too exciting but you can find it here. 

Check out this group  to join like-minded moms to offer support on your homesteading journey.

DIY Soup Mix

I love using soup mixes in my recipes, but I don't love all the added yuck!  In my family of 5, 3 of us have special dietary needs.  No, they aren't all the same.  So, if I truly make something that we can all enjoy, boxed, canned, pre-made foods are definitely not the place to go.  Not to mention that once you get used to cooking a certain way, the canned/boxed/pre-made stuff just doesn't seem as appetizing.  You can see the difference in this post where I compare pictures of canned vs homemade soup mix.  Wow!  Just look at the difference!  Now, tell me which one you would choose.

That's why I was super excited to find a way to make my own.  Here's the recipe I currently use. Eventually, I plan to find a fully dairy free version to better suit my family's needs.  

Since we are mostly dairy free, when I mix this up I use almond milk.  Even though there is powdered milk in this recipe, it seems to be mild enough that we can still tolerate it.

DIY Soup Mix

Ingredients
  • 2 cup powdered milk
  • 3/4 cup cornstarch
  • 2 Tbs chicken bouillon (see notes)
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • 1/2 tsp parsley
  • 1/2 tsp basil
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions
Measure ingredients and place in glass container.
Shake well to combine.
Store in cool dark place in airtight container.

To use: Mix equal parts of soup mix and preferred liquid (almond milk, water).  Heat over medium heat in saucepan, whisking continually.  Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.
To use as a thickener, combine 1/3 mix with 1/4 liquid and add to desired recipe.

Note:
Find the recipe I use for bouillon here.

Like what you see in this blog?  Join my free group for even more great content!
Check out this group  to join like-minded moms to offer support on your homesteading journey.

Tater Tot Casserole From Scratch

Tater Tot Casserole From Scratch
On Friday mornings I make meals for shut-ins, elderly, or those recovering from a medical procedure.  I have a list of meals I choose from.  Most of them are meals my family used to enjoy.  However, our diets have changed so much that I end up making a totally different version of the meal for my family.  It's amazing the differences I now see in foods.  Food that I once considered home-made from scratch, I now laugh at because I know the difference.  Here's an example:  
The first picture is using canned soup mix.  The second picture shows the same recipe, but made with a homemade soup mix, totally from scratch using dried herbs, seasonings, and almond milk. 
Now for the good part!  Below, I will share with you the recipe I make for my family.  Enjoy!

Tater Tot Casserole

Ingredients
  • 1 lb ground hamburger meat
  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped
  • 1/3 cup DIY soup mix (see notes below)
  • 1/4 cup almond milk (or water)
  • 32 oz frozen tater tots
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Brown ground beef, season with salt and pepper.
  3. Add chopped onion, cook until tender.
  4. Meanwhile, mix soup mix with almond milk and set aside.
  5. In a 9x13 casserole dish, combine ground beef mixture and soup mix.
  6. Top mixture with tater tots.
  7. Bake, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes, until bubbly and tater tots are golden brown.
Note:  If you are not dairy free, you can add cheese to the top and return to the oven to melt it.
You can find the soup mix recipe here.





Check out this group  to join like-minded moms to offer support on your homesteading journey.

DIY Disposable Thieves Wipes

DIY Disposable Thieves Wipes
Germs...they are everywhere!  It's fairly common to see some sort of sanitizing wipes everywhere you go to wipe down hands, shopping carts, everything!  But, did you know that if there are yucky ingredients in those products, you may be weakening your immune system instead of helping it?  Do yourself, and your loved ones, a favor and research the products you use.  

I have done my research and found a product I not only trust, but it also works wonderfully, saves me money and is so versatile it can be used everywhere!   So, what is this product?  Thieves Household Cleaner...yep, it's amazing!  I have used it EVERYwhere....dishwasher, laundry, bathroom, windows...the list goes on.

What's my favorite way to use it?  I'm glad you asked!  I love making thieves wipes.  I usually make them disposable, however, I have used the same recipe with t-shirt squares for a washable option.  

Thieves Wipes

Ingredients

Instructions
Cut paper towels in half and remove the cardboard roll.  Place paper towels into the container.  Mix vinegar, water, and cleaner in measuring cup and pour over the paper towels.  Place lid on to keep moisture in.  
Pull paper towels out of the center.




You can also place some in a smaller container to keep in your car, bag, or anywhere!

Watch the DIY video here:



These are so convenient!  I keep a container in the kitchen, each bathroom, and in my van.

Enjoy!
Check out this group  to join like-minded moms to offer support on your homesteading journey.