Did you hear that sound?
That loud crashing, shattering sound?
That was the sound of my fairytale ending. The sound of my heart being broken into a million jillion little pieces.
I’m not surprised though. Some say all good things must come to an end. The dark of night will always return. And the romantic husband never dies, he just fades away.
You know, HE (Mr. Woo) reads every single one of my blog posts.
Oh, please. Don’t get all excited.
If he had a blog, I’d read his posts too. Mostly. Well some. Okay, occasionally when they weren’t too nerdy. Anyway, yesterday he read my blog post.
My blog post where I opened up my heart and layed it all on the table. The one where I practically built him a monument on my Tricuspid Valve. Where I said he is so handsome, so charming, and so fantastic. I mean I really spilled my guts. I was vulnerable. Willing to deal with whatever rejection that might come my way. But I never expected this.
Maybe, I thought, he’ll say, “Geez (he doesn’t use that word, but you get the picture) Nicole, that is really embarassing. You, gushing (another word he doesn’t use) all over me like that. It’s prideless (he uses that word a lot).
Or maybe, I thought, he’ll say, “Oh yeah, you think I’m charming and handsome and lovely. I’ll show you what’s lovely.” And then. . . . . I’ll let your imagination take you the rest of the way with that one.
But that’s not what he said. He called me on the phone to tell me “paragraph #5 is confusing. And it’s not the Casper Shuffle, it’s the Cupid Shuffle. And I really think the middle paragraphs didn’t flow very well.”
Fine.
I can take a little constructive criticism.
So I wait for the “But. . . . .those were really nice things you said about me. Thanks. I mean it. I feel exactly the same way about you. You. Wonderful you! Who is the best mother, friend, and the most gorgeous woman ALIVE. I LOVE YOU WOMAN OF MINE!”
But, guess what. I’m still waiting.
He did not whisper one word that even resembled those I’ve mentioned. He just said, “I just wanted to tell you what you did wrong (I’m paraphrasing).” And then he hung up the phone.
If he weren’t my husband, and if he didn’t come home being all “considerate, sweet, selfless, and helpful,” I’d call him a jerk.
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My poor confused heart needs a pick me up after just going through the grinder.
And I would give it a good dose of Gingerbread Granola, chocked full of whole grain oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, apricots, raisins, flaxseeds, cinnamon and ginger . . . . . .,but my tapeworm children have eaten it all up.
Oh, I’m just being grumpy. I’m glad they love it so much.
Something soooooo good for them, that I don’t even have to shovel down their throats. They do it themselves, gladly.
Something so good, that there friends like it too.
And so do their friends parents.
And maybe even their spouses, if there not too busy being rude (Mr. Woo!).
And its really easy to make.
And it looks really pretty in a package.
And you can give it away as presents to neighbors and friends.
And it will make your neighbors and friends be all impressed because its healthy and yummy.
And its high in fiber, yet low in sodium.
And to top it all off, it can help lower the risk of disease and contribute to your overall well being.
I’m just saying.
I don’t know many gifts that can do that.
So Happy Holidays to All! May your hearts be merry, your bodies strong, and your love ever faithful!
This recipe is brought to you from the good folks at Texas Oncology who are always looking for ways to help us lead healthier, happier lives while lowering the risk of disease.
Gotta love those folks.
For more information about Gingerbread Granola and other great holiday recipes (Holiday Crunch Time, Jingle Jam, and Holly Jolly Biscotti) visit http://www.TexasOncology.com/GingerbreadGranola
Gingerbread Granola
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup raw slivered almonds
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
2 teaspoons flax seeds
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch nutmeg
1/3 cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon molasses
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup golden raisins
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300˚F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, almonds, sunflower seeds,
flax seeds, and spices. In a separate bowl, whisk together the agave nectar, brown sugar, and
molasses. Pour over dry mixture and stir until incorporated thoroughly.
Evenly spread the granola mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until dry, stirring
occasionally, for about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool slightly before adding apricots and raisins. Once cooled completely, store in an airtight jar or sealed bag.
Try it in many different ways:
• Combine it with milk for a healthy start to the morning.
• Sprinkle it over yogurt with fresh fruit.
• Put it on top of ice cream for a sweet treat.
• Serve it as a nutritious afternoon snack.
• For seasonal color, add dried cherries, which are rich in Vitamin C.
• Sweeten it up with bits of dark chocolate for antioxidant power.
• Add chopped pecans or walnuts for a nutty dose of protein.
• Mix in sesame seeds for a calcium boost.
