attempt number 2

and we have success!

1. homemade granola bars
add peanut butter and more chocolate chips!
okay... so, i am still eating more of them than my children but at least they didn't turn up their noses right away. peanut actually ate his in his lunch and little bit ate one on the bus home from a long morning.
(desperation just might breed consumption!)

recipe:
(adapted from ina garten - the barefoot contessa)

• 2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1/2 cup of puffed rice cereal
  
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/4 cup of peanut butter
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 12-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and puffed rice cereal together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the chocolate chips and cranberries and stir well. (chocolate chips will melt)

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.

2. homemade yogurt
i have eaten it almost everyday.
granted, it is very tart and not as thick as store bought but since i am adding it to smoothies or granola.... it just doesn't even matter.

recipe:
(from french women don't get fat)
Homemade Yogurt Without a Yogurt Maker

• 1 quart whole or 2 percent milk
• 1-2 tablespoons plain yogurt as a starter

"1. Warm up the milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until bubbles appear around the edge and steam rises from the surface.

2. Pour the warm milk into a large bowl to cool until the temperature reaches 110 to 115 degrees on a cooking thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, do what the locals do: the temperature is correct when you can keep your index finger in the warm milk for 20 seconds.

3. Put the starter in a small bowl, add some of the heated milk, and stir until well blended. Return the mixture to the large bowl, a third at a time, making sure to stir and blend well after each addition. End with a final stir, making sure all is well blended. Cover with a heavy towel and keep in a warm place 6 yo8 hours or overnight (a gas oven with a pilot light is fine, or placing a saucepan of hot water in the oven to raise the temperature will help if your home is not warm enough).

4. When set, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours before serving. If thicker yogurt is desired, empty chilled yogurt in a muslin bag or cheese-cloth, suspend over a bowl, and drain."

it could not be more simple..... and both are my attempt at reducing our consumption of processed food and things in redundant packaging..... all those small yogurt containers, argh! it pains me and yet i'll do it when on sale. i think it will take time to wean my kids off of yogurt with sweetener (and we can't stop buying the soy kind since my failure at soy yogurt was awful) but at least hubbie and i are moving the right direction.