BS’D

YUMMY, HEALTHY, AND REAL EASY GRANOLA

Ingredients:

2 cups oatmeal (You can even replace some of this quantity with raw quinoa)

2 cups flour (I use 80% whole wheat blend)

1 cup sugar (brown or cane or white)

1/2 cup chocolate chips and/or cranberries and/or raisins and/or marshmallow and/or nuts

1 tsp. baking soda

Mix together. Then add:

3/4 cup oil (canola or light olive oil or coconut or grapeseed)

1 Tbsp. honey

1 Tsp. peanut butter (any blend)

Line a 9×13 with parchment paper.  Press mix into it. Bake 170 degree Celsius/350 Fahrenheit oven until puffy and golden brown.  Slice to desired size while warm.  Enjoy!

Spiritual Intentions while preparing:

The Talmud (Yoma 74b) teaches, “The blind eat but are not satisfied.” This brings down a profound lesson. If we remain “blind” to or oblivious of the true significance of eating, we will not attain true sova (complete satisfaction). If we cannot see the food for what it is – i.e., a gift from G-d and an expression of His love for us – then our eating and our relationship with food will be a never-ending source of frustration for us.

If we remain “blind” to the true significance of our eating, we will be incapable of extracting the nutrients and deriving the satisfaction we need from our food, the satisfaction that will allow us to eat properly and moderately.

If we can learn to recognize the dimension of G-d’s love and concern for us that is present and inherent in every mouthful of food we do eat, we will derive the complete full spectrum of nourishment that the food has to offer us. We will be “filled” and “fulfilled.”  (www.ou.org)

Some of the health benefits of oats are:

* Stops craving: stays in our stomachs longer – makes us feel full longer.

* Stabilizes blood sugar and reduces risk of diabetes (type 2). The high fiber and complex carbohydrates slow down the conversion of this whole food to simple sugars. The high levels of magnesium nourish the body’s proper use of glucose and insulin secretion.

* Enhances immune response to disease. The unique fiber in oatmeal called beta-gluten also has been shown to help neutrophils travel to the site of an infection more quickly and it also enhances their ability to eliminate the bacteria they find there.

ENJOY!