I've had some friends request this recipe so I'll share it here since it's so great. Yes, granola even gets brown and toasted in the crockpot! Another plus is the electricity savings from not using the oven.
Basically, you can take any recipe you like for granola and bake it in the crockpot. Turn it on low and prop the lid open a bit so that the steam escapes. After 45 minutes or so, stir and replace lid as before. You'll need to stir it every 10 or 15 minutes after that until it's done to your liking. Mine is usually done in an hour and a half or so.
I have the large-sized crockpot and my recipe is as follows.
Mix together:
- 7 c. oatmeal
- 1 c. coconut
- 1/2 c. each pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame seeds
- 1/4 c. flax seeds
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. or less sea salt
Blend in a small bowl:
- 1/2 c. oil or melted coconut oil
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 c. honey or to taste (I use stevia powder)
Mix all together well and bake. Add dried fruit of your choice.
Okay, I know this is a ridiculous topic to post about--pillows! But, in case I'm addressing any other soul who has suffered as I have, this might be the voice in the fog, calling "Faint not! There is hope!"
I have been on a quest for the Perfect Pillow for years. Like the Princess and the Pea, I moaned over the lump-filled, sorry-excuse-for-a-pillow polyester variety, replacing them often, ever hopeful that the descriptions on the packaging were true this time: "NEW material! Long lasting! Provides the neck support you've been looking for!" Ha.
Then I moved on to feathers. I love the punchability of a feather pillow, but alas, if you happen to move in the night you lose that perfect shape and find your head resting in a swale. The cost was daunting so I opted for a cheap one. You know what? I think they're filled with chicken feathers. I spent endless nights trying to ignore the pokes and pricks of stiff little feathers working their way through the cover to torment me. Finally biting the bullet and paying for the creme de la creme of feathers--goose down--I was miserably disappointed to find that apparently geese are relatively unwilling to share their fluff. Not enough filling and my head was back in the familiar ditch. Have you ever tried to add feathers to a pillow? Don't. It's not a pretty sight.
Then I read about memory foam. This was it! And who cared about cost at a time like this--my chiropractor was happily tucking away my $$$ to fix my cricked neck. It was a beautiful pillow, sculpted to conform to my neck with a velvety-soft washable cover. Sigh. For a few months I was truly happy. Then I began to notice that I was finding myself sleeping on the two far sides of center...and realized it was breaking down. It wasn't long before I likened this whole velvety affair to a box of rocks.
Finally, (yes, my story is nearly over) Hubby told me of growing up with latex (natural rubber) pillows, of how perfectly content he was all those long years, blissfully unaware of what an Issue the Wrong Pillow could be. No man-made chemical concoctions here with a shelf life of months. God made this stuff!! No stingy geese involved! It's allergy-free! Anti-microbial! Perfect neck support! Keeps on ticking for years and years!
And yes, I have a Testimonial. Since I got my beloved latex Pillow, my neck has ceased to hurt, I sleep wonderfully, and I am Happy. My quest is over. Eagerly, I pass along this marvelous recommendation and wish you happy sleeping!
P.S. They don't carry them at most stores and online you can't check their height. The WalMart ones were too flat. I got my at Sears and it was just right. 
This recipe is amazing! Everything in it is good for you...it's sweetened with stevia...it's perfect for a candida-control diet...it freezes beautifully...and it's DELICIOUS!! I've adapted the recipe from one I found on a candida forum, and you'll never believe with the "mystery" ingredient is!...Avocado!
This is good enough to serve to company (I have)--just don't tell them what's in it until after they've eaten it. So mix up a batch and ENJOY!
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Avocado Chocolate Mousse
- 2 c. (2 large) ripe avocadoes
- 1 tsp. stevia powder (or more to taste)
- 2 T. melted coconut oil
- 1 1/2 tsp. good vanilla
- 1 tsp. Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. Braggs Liquid Aminos
- 1/2 c. cocoa or roasted carob powder (or a mixture)
Blend all ingredients well in a food processor until smooth, creamy, and lump-free. Spoon 1/3-1/2 c. into dessert dishes and chill well. Can serve with a dollop of whipped cream (sweetened with stevia!).
NOTE: This freezes well, too. I either freeze it in small serving-size containers, or in an ice-cube tray, then put the mousse-cubes in a large container for quick snacking.
Okay, time to 'fess up...how many of you regularly use rutabagas and parsnips in your diet?! What?! You don't?! Relax...I didn't either for most of my life until health issues in our family drove me to experiment and discover more of the beautiful and nutritious vegetables God gave us to eat.
So I'd like to give you a formal introduction to them and share a yummy recipe we now have as a regular on our table. You'll find baking the veggies like this brings out their natural sweetness which carmelizes into a wonderful dish. Vary amounts according to your taste.
Rutabagas are a member of the turnip family, a root vegetable that has a deep yellow flesh. As with all root crops, they take in lots of nutrients from the soil. They have an alkaline effect on your body--something you want to fight disease--and are especially known for their cancer-fighting qualities. They are high in potassium with good amounts of Vitamin C and fiber.
Parsnips are those long, white, carrot-looking things you've seen in the produce section. They are very high in fiber, rich in potassium and cancer-fighting substances, and have a sweet, nutty taste when cooked.
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Root Vegetable Bake
- 2-3 parsnips, peeled and diced
- rutabagas, peeled and diced to equal 1 1/2 cups
- 2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced, OR 1 1/2 cups baby carrots
- 3 red potatoes, diced
- Optional: 2 turnips, peeled and diced
- Optional: 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
Mix well in large bowl. Salt and pepper to taste, and add 1 T. dried parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Mix well and turn into a sprayed-with-PAM or buttered casserole dish. Cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork.
A great use I've discovered for glass this year is using canning jars for the freezer. The safest type is actual canning jars--Kerr, Ball, Mason--because their glass is tempered, rather than mayonnaise or peanut butter jars. You can buy screw-type lids for them at WalMart, and the jars are often available for pennies apiece at garage sales.
I've been trying to get away from plastic use as much as possible and these jars have worked out great. I use both quart and pint size. They work for everything from soup to crumbled fried bacon or grated cheese. Glass is not air-permeable like plastic is so the storage life-span is longer without that icky freezer taste. And it's easy to see what you've got in there, too.
I use the small jars to freeze spices. You can buy the large containers of salsa or applesauce at Sam's or Costco and freeze them in jars at an amazing cost savings. Bread crumbs, grains, and flour store beautifully this way.
Just a word of caution--a breakable container can be a hazard with kids around! Also, you can't defrost frozen jars of liquid under running water as they could crack. So plan on defrost time accordingly.
Canning jars have worked in my cupboard, too, for storing beans and grains--and they look pretty, too!
I discovered a better way for covering food plates in the microwave than what I'd been doing. Paper towel and wax paper cost money, and I really try not to use any kind of plastic because of the health hazard.
So I bought a couple of extra glass lids with handles--the kind that go on top of casserole dishes like Pyrex or Corning--at a thrift store. They work beautifully! They keep the splattering down, they pose no health risk, I can see through them, and they cost almost nothing. Such a deal!
Here's a very easy and delicious crockpot recipe. I make it the first night for burritos or tacos, then I use the leftovers for making white chili. Freezes well.
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Cut as many boneless chicken breasts in large pieces as you wish and place in crockpot. If you have a casserole-style crockpot, keep them in one layer if possible. If you have the tall-style one, do each layer with the spices. Optional: add chopped green chilies, onion, fresh garlic, or oregano.
Liberally sprinkle with chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and cumin. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low for 8 hours, then shred with a fork and mix the spices and juices in well. Add more seasonings if necessary. Cover and cook another hour.
Enjoy!