Homemade Granola with Pomegranate and Banana

Phew... sorry! Super delayed on posting lately because of my work schedule. Between the students/parents asking for extra credit and grade bumps I am responding to and the mass grading I am doing I have been so busy and so tired. Matt has been helping me like crazy so I can grade at night and Charlie has been involved in the kitchen and helped toss the salad for dinner. So important for me to teach her that food doesn't naturally come out of a box, freezer section, or package. 

I also did a competition for fun with my sister. We ironically have never dressed up as Thing 1 and Thing 2... it was great to compete with just her. We had some good workouts and some that could've gone better but we finished in the top 5 girl-girl teams and both hit PRs on our deadlifts- I am finally in the 300 club (310lbs to be exact!)

Pomegranates have been on sale recently and with the holidays coming up, the bright red color and tartness reminds me of the cranberries you see in everything. I am experimenting with them in brussel sprouts and some other dishes. :) Either way, this was a delicious breakfast that made me not miss cereal in the slightest.

Homemade Granola with Pomegranate and Banana

For the Granola-
keep all the nuts unsalted and raw if you can, if you can't, find them blanched or dry roasted... still no salt!
- 1 Cup Pecans, chopped
- 1 Cup Walnuts, chopped
- 1 Cup Almonds, chopped
- 1 Cup Coconut- Unsweetened, Finely Shredded
- 1 Cup Dried Cranberries, unsweetened
- 2 Tbsp Almond Butter (or Sunbutter)
- 1/3 Cup Maple Syrup
- 1/2 tsp Salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

1. Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl until well combined
2. Spread into an even later onto a parchment lined baking sheet
3. Bake 15-20 minutes. Stir at the 10 minute mark. REALLY watch it after 15 minutes. It will go from perfect to burned quickly. Take it out of the oven before you think it is ready- it will harder and clump as it cools. Store what you don't use in an air tight container.

Putting the bowl together-

- 1/2 Banana
- 1/4 Pomegranate, seeds removed
- 1/2 Cup Granola
- Milk of your Choice
- Splash of Vanilla* Opional