What’s up with this summer? More days than not have barely been warm with cloud filled skies and an abundance of rain, including today. I look forward to these few months all year and they’ve been a little lackluster. Winter’s just around the corner – noooooooo!
Hopefully summer will kick back into gear soon. At least a lot of the things I love about summer are still here, including flowers! This year’s bunch may be better than ever, probably from all the rain. The geraniums in the front yard took off like wild. They make me smile every time I pass them. There are also a record thirty-one pots filling our sidewalks and deck. They are so pretty. Some look very tropical. The black petunias, elephant ear leaves, and all the morning glories are some of my favorites, but I really truly love them all, and I hope you enjoy a peek into my little slice of paradise.
I’m equally as obsessed with granola as I am flowers. It’s all I crave lately, especially when combined with a smoothie. This Oats and Honey Granola is a no frills, classic granola that I fell in love with after one bite. It is a little sticky and clumpy from the honey and tastes somewhat like an oatmeal cookie, complete with that chewy texture. The only add-ins I used were a few macadamia nuts. Feel free to use whatever nuts you like or leave them out altogether. This is a great, healthy, hearty, gluten free breakfast. So take a little time to smell the intoxicating granola and of course the flowers.
Oats and Honey Granola
- Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 6 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (gluten free if you like – I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup macadamia nuts, optional
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup honey
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- In a large bowl, stir together oats, cinnamon, and nuts, if using, until combined. Add oil, honey, and vanilla and stir until all the oats are fully coated. Spread into an even layer on the prepared pan. It will be a thick layer.
- Bake 20-25 minutes, until light golden brown and fragrant. Cool completely on pan without stirring. Once cool break into clumps and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
Those flowers are SO gorgeous!!! Looks like you have quite a green thumb!
Granola is a fav of mine! I’m loving this recipe!
Wow, your garden is gorgeous this summer! So bummed I didn’t get around to planting much this year – it would have been a great year for it!
Love how easy and delicious this recipe is! Thanks! And your garden is absolutely beautiful 🙂
Thanks, Jacqueline, and thanks for visiting 🙂
Gorgeous flowers!! I’m with you on the summer thing! Although it was 80 and sunny here today – pretty much perfect 🙂 And this granola! It looks light and perfect for a summer breakfast parfait!
Yes, sunny and 80 is perfect. I’ll happily take that!
Gorgeous flowers Laura, I have so much trouble keeping nice plants in my house! The granola is just like the one I make, so versatile, and a million times better than store-bought.
Looks so simple and delicious .. just my kind of thing! 😀
I love all of your plants – so pretty! I haven’t ventured into homemade granola territory, but it sounds so easy and delicious! 🙂
Yay flowers!!!! And yay granola!!!
(SUMMER STAYYY DON’T LEEEAVE)
Your flowers are amazing, It must be so wonderful to gaze out at such beauty …………… and eat yummy granola at the same time 🙂
I love, love homemade granola…and yours looks simple and perfect!
Beautiful flowers and the rain did help make them more beeatiful….Love tthe granola…
I love granola! I’ve never made it myself, but I really need to start!
Homemade granola is the best! Thanks for visiting, Melanie 🙂
This granola looks awesome – simple tastes and a nice hint of honey. My fravourite.
This summer has definitely been weird weather-wise, to say the least!! I could use a few more really warm days.
Honey bunches of oats was a favorite cereal of mine growing up, but I only ever really liked it for the clusters…and here you have a whole bowl of them!!
I pick all the clusters out of the granola too!
Your deck and flowers look wonderful. We are in the middle of sanding down the deck to then apply a clear stain. Long story, but the “stain” we applied kept peeling. I look at your deck and think, “someday soon, ours will look nice too”. I will have to add some beautiful flowers like you have.
I love this granola recipe as it is easy and healthy!
Our deck is actually composite, like Trex. It wears much better and requires no maintenance except being washed off now and then. We had a wood deck and it was just a mess, so we replaced it. Thanks for visiting, Christine!
No, I’m not ready for winter yet! I’m already seeing Halloween decorations. Seriously?
Your flowers are so pretty.
I love granola and yours looks amazing! 🙂
Our summer has been day after day of fog! I am so looking forward to our Indian Summer. It can’t arrive soon enough. I adore the simplicity of the seductive granola! A radiant beginning to each day as we wait for sunshine!
Your garden is so awesome looking!! I love granola…my husband eats it every day for breakfast!
I could definitely eat granola every day!
Your garden is beautiful and this granola looks oh-so-delicious. I love granola too…in fact I’m eating some now! Thank you for sharing!
Beautiful flowers! Would you believe I didn’t plant a single flower this year? I’m such a slacker when it comes to gardening. With all the rain we’ve had this year, I wouldn’t have even had to water.
Love your granola recipe- especially the macadamia nuts!
I LOVE making granola.
The add in’s are endless!
Love the concert photos too!