Hello!

It’s nice to be back in a bit of a routine after the whirlwind that was the whole holiday season. Friends are in town, work is steady once again and new workout schedules are out (not that I’ve been to the gym this week.  But I’ve thought about it and looked online).

While the world seems to be resolution-ing, I instead, am indulging. I won’t get into the nitty-gritty of a disastrous jelly bean purchase *hello weakness*. I will go into the Jameson Mule from Courthaus Social in Arlington. Went great with the bacon cheeseburger I ordered and ate at 10p.m. Yep. At least there was a side of brussels sprouts (right??). Plus, I ran.

In our never-ending attempt to eat everything and stay fit, I want to introduce you to a new champion! Baked Berry Granola:

It’s so, so easy. Mix, stir, pour (almost).  Plus, it’s satisfying and healthy. You’re eating mostly oats, skim milk and berries, after all.

Confession: this isn’t an original recipe but one I tweaked to better fit my health needs from a post on cupofjo.com. I used less butter, less maple syrup, skim instead of whole milk and subbed in pomegranate seeds for some of the berries.

What you’ll need:

2 cups oats (gf if you’re like me)
1 cup pecans, toasted & chopped
1/8- 1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups skim milk
1 egg
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
2 cups assorted berries

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Melt butter in the bottom of a baking dish like this – 9 by 51/2 by 2
• Mix oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in bowl
• Whisk maple syrup, egg and milk in a separate bowl
• Pour half of oat mixture in bottom of pan
• Sprinkle with half of the berries and pecans
• Cover with remaining oat mixture
• Carefully pour wet mixture on dish
• Top with leftover berries and pecans
• Bake 40 minutes

**This is also a great breakfast to flag if you have friends coming next weekend. It looks like you did a lot of work and your friends will likely appreciate something homemade after they’ve traveled to say hi.

Enjoy!