Fruit and Nut Granola

This is a deliciously nutty topping for yogurt, but you can use it as a cereal too!  Feel free to experiment with different nuts or dried fruits.  Note, this is not a chunky/clumpy granola, but you can achieve that by using honey instead of maple syrup (honey just has an overwhelming taste, in my opinion, and maple syrup is THE BOMB in this granola) and add a tablespoon or two of melted butter.

Combine in a large bowl:

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup dried fruit

1 T cinnamon

1/2 cup maple syrup

dash of salt

3-4 cups oats

Stir till everything is combined and let rest 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray, spread the granola evenly over it, and pop in oven for 30-40 minutes.  You'll want to check up on it, and stir it every 10 minutes until it is nice and fragrant, and golden brown.  Remove from oven, cool completely, and store in an airtight container.  Stores well in fridge for several weeks.

Spinach, Banana and Peach Smoothie

Tastes:  Sweet, creamy, and not super healthy (but it is! it is!)
Why we love it:  Spinach is a great source of iron, and this smoothie is so tasty, you hardly know it's there.  Makes it a little easier to give picky eaters the veggies they need.  Plus, prep and cleanup are super easy.

For each serving, you'll need:
1 cup fresh spinach
1/4 cup diced peaches in water (or 1/4 of a fresh peach)
1 medium banana, in small chunks
splash of pineapple juice

Start by pulsing just the spinach and the pineapple juice in blender until well chopped.  Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.  Enjoy!

Variations:  We wait till our bananas are brown, then peel them and freeze in a ziplock bag (break into chunks before freezing)  This makes for a creamy, cold smoothie.  If you don't have peaches, strawberries substitute very well.  Sometimes I add a scoop of whey protein powder as well, as this makes a filling meal substitute.