Caramel Apple Granola

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Caramel Apple Granola

Caramel Apple Granola

The leaves are beginning to change colors on the trees. I noticed this today in the thirty second dash from my apartment building to the car. The air felt cooler than usual and the light from the sun was golden. I wondered where the time has gone. While my life continues to be in a state of imbalance, these thirty second intervals from the door of my car to the door of another building have become my only real experience with the world outside of my immediate reality. In the last few weeks, consumed with an unusual amount of work and responsibilities, I feel lucky to get an hour to myself to eat a late dinner and catch up with an episode of Modern Family.

I wish I could stop and enjoy the weather, breathe it in and savor it for the long hours of work ahead of me, but the second hand on the clock keeps ticking, reminding me that I'm already late.

Caramel Apple Granola Caramel Apple Granola

Caramel Apples continue to be a one of my favorite fall desserts. Every year I make it a point to make a batch. I'll usually leave a few apples with a simple caramel coating, but the rest end up rolled in crushed candy bars and pretzels until the apples seem to disappear under the chocolate pieces. Each year the caramel refuses to cooperate as I struggle to keep it on the apple, but in the end it doesn't matter. The caramel apples are for myself. They don't need to be pretty or dolled up; they don't need to impress anyone else.

The apples just need to be enjoyed beneath a tree under the autumn sky by someone who isn't afraid to get a little chocolate and caramel on her face.

Caramel Apple Granola

It may be awhile before I can sit down and make myself a batch of caramel apples this year. The routine of the thirty second dash is a bittersweet reminder that the days keep passing by, even if I don't have the time to appreciate them. When the responsibilities of my life lessen and I have an afternoon to myself, you'll be able to spot me in the aisles of the local market, with a red basket full of candy bars and Honeycrisp apples in hand.

Until that day arrives, this Caramel Apple Granola fills the void beautifully.

Caramel Apple Granola

Caramel Apple Granola is sweet treat transformed into a hearty breakfast. The granola consists of almonds and dried apples spiced with the flavors of fall. Most granola recipes hold the oats together with oil, but this granola is held together with a light layer of caramel. The caramel, combined with the dried apples, creates a granola with a fantastic texture and taste you won't find in a cereal box.

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S'mores Pancakes

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S'mores Pancakes

S'mores Pancakes

I like to spoil myself during breakfast. I know I've mentioned it before, but a hot breakfast is my favorite way to start the day. Each morning I wake up early enough to give myself time to relax and indulge in one of my favorite meals. The rush of the morning often dictates the pace of my day. Taking a moment away from the haste of throwing on clothes and the stress of doing something with the mop on my head allows me to get my mind in the right place and my head on straight. Literally.

Breakfast is the soft yawn in an early morning.

S'mores Pancakes

Though I do enjoy indulging in warm weekday breakfasts, weekends are where the true decadence takes place. I often make myself a pleasant brunch of pancakes and waffles for one (or two, if a friend is near). Some days there are a couple scrambled eggs or a slice or two of bacon, but carbs are often my go-to place for comfort. With the long, relaxing hours of a weekend morning, the recipe innovator in me comes out to play.

Without the free time and a love for dessert, I'm not sure these cappuccino pancakes, dark chocolate oatmeal, and vanilla rum-soaked french toast would have ever found their way onto my plate.

S'mores Pancakes

Perhaps one of the most quintessential summer desserts is the s'more—graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate. Since I've only been near a bonfire once or twice this summer, I haven't had my fill of summer s'mores just yet. Turning s'mores into a pancake was surprisingly easy (with exceptionally delicious results). So often when taking a simple dessert (like s'mores) and using the flavors to transform another treat (pancakes), the flavor profile isn't quite the same or one flavor is more dominant than another. However, at first bite, I can say with great certainty that the profile of these pancakes fits the source almost exactly.

And, oh, that is a very good thing.

S'mores Pancakes

S'mores Pancakes turn a weekend morning into a special occasion. The pancakes are infused with graham cracker crumbs, which make the pancakes taste just as they should. Add a few chocolate chips to the batter and the warm pancakes melt the chocolate in a dreamy way. Marshmallow fluff is turned into a syrup and drizzled over the top, turning a simple pancake into a beloved summer treat.

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Blueberry Breakfast Quinoa

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Blueberry Breakfast Quinoa

Blueberry Breakfast Quinoa

In the early morning hours, when the sun is low in the sky and my eyes aren't quite ready to open and let the light into my world, a good breakfast wraps itself around me like a blanket and softly whispers that it's time to face the day. Breakfast is a comfort in a tired, caffeine driven world. It's a simple routine that fills an empty stomach and brings warmth and energy into a sleepy frame.

I've found an appreciation for breakfast.

Blueberry Breakfast Quinoa Blueberry Breakfast Quinoa

There was a period in my life when I didn't appreciate breakfast. After entering university for the first time, with the nearest microwave fifty feet down the hall and an alarm clock that went off fifteen minutes before class, breakfast seemed a trivial part of the morning. I was born on the foundation of hot breakfasts. I like my breakfasts steaming from the stove top, with a sprinkling of sugar, and a splash of milk. If I couldn't have a piping hot bowl in front of me, I wanted nothing at all. For four years, I snubbed my nose at breakfast, welcoming lunch as my first meal of the day.

I was a fool.

Blueberry Breakfast Quinoa

Amid the hustle and bustle of stepping into clothes, fixing hair, and rushing to gather belongings before running out the door, breakfast is the calm in the storm of morning. A quiet reminder to take a moment to sit down and introduce myself to the aromas and flavors of a new day. I revel in the feeling of breakfast. It's a fresh start; a chance to replace yesterday with a new today. Some mornings I wake up early just so I can hold a steaming bowl of cereal in my hands and welcome the day in my own way.

I sincerely hope you've discovered the joy hidden in the depths of your cupboards. There is so much to love in that cereal box.

Blueberry Breakfast Quinoa

I've more or less eaten the same breakfast for the last twenty years. However, after trying out a bowl of this Blueberry Breakfast Quinoa, I may have discovered a replacement. Every morning this the past week, I've sat down to this sweet, nutty breakfast and I can't get enough. The quinoa cooks up in milk and absorbs the creamy flavor deep within its seeds. With a splash of milk and a handful of almonds and blueberries, I feel at home. The texture of the quinoa is such an interesting contrast to the warm, bursting juice of the blueberries—it's a texture of which I could never grow tired.

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