A Day in the Life and Paleo Granola

I thought it might be helpful to slice open a day of my eating habits for ya'll. Like I mentioned before, I'm not perfect! But when I eat right, I feel better, so I really am making an effort. So here's a backward's glance at today so far and a look into the meals I have planned for the evening:

Breakfast: 3 Hard-Boiled Eggs; 2 handfuls of raw carrots, broccoli, cauliflower; 1 Paleo "Granola" Bar

Mid-Morning Snack: Carrots; 4 oz. Tuna with homemade mayo

Post-Workout Recovery Shake after CrossFit Workout

Lunch: 6 oz. Turkey Burger with Romaine lettuce leaves, homemade mayo, mustard; Kiwi; 1 Avocado with Balsamic vinegar drizzled (okay, DRENCHED...trust me, it's awesome...)

Mid-Afternoon Snack: Paleo Granola (can't keep my fingers out of this stuff!) and Coconut Milk, 1 Hard-Boiled Egg

Dinner: 1/2 Coconut Milk Smoothie; 4 oz. Deli Turkey Meat; Sugar Snap Peas

Evening Snack: Fried Plantains and Decaf Coffee

Sooooo.....that's a day in the life! As I mentioned above, I absolutely cannot keep my hands out of this paleo granola I made the other day. It does have a little honey in it, so that probably has something to do with it. But for those of you who are looking for something to satisfy that sweet tooth that stays within the confines of this Paleo thing, you've gotta try this!

Paleo Granola:
Servings: 16

• 2 cups toasted coconut (unsweetened) - see directions below for toasting
• 2 cups raw coconut (unsweetened)
• 3/4 cup pumpkin seed kernels
• 3/4 cup sunflower seed kernels
• 3/4 cup honey
• 2 tbsp + 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

To toast the coconut, combine 2 cups raw coconut with 2 tbsp of your coconut oil and spread on a baking sheet. Place in oven on low broil for 2-3 minutes, watching to be sure it doesn't burn. Stir, broil for 2-3 more minutes until browned evenly, then remove and cool.

Next, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine both toasted and raw coconut, pumpkin seed kernels, and sunflower seed kernels in a large bowl.

In a saucepan on the stove, melt together the honey, coconut oil, cinnamon, and vanilla, stirring occasionally, until combined.

 

Pour honey mixture over oat mixture and stir to coat.

 

Spread coconut mixture into baking pans (metal pans cook faster than glass) in a thin layer (you may need more than one pan). Bake for 10-15 minutes (depending on your oven - watch for it to brown), stirring every 5 minutes.

 

Remove from the oven and immediately press  all granola into the bottom of a glass baking dish, using a glass cup to press it hard down into the dish (the glass won't stick to the granola like a spatula might). Store in the fridge for best taste (it keeps the coconut oils hardened).

This is definitely a Paleo "treat" - so try not to eat the whole batch in one sitting! :) Also, count one serving as your "fat" intake for the meal and make sure you combine it with a good protein source and lots of veggies each time you munch on it. Enjoy!!