Healthy Vegan Friday- Breakfast Chow

Just as I was starting to feel better, AP decided to run out and pick up the flu.  Just to keep things interesting around here.  He's out for the count and I'm getting worn down again, and crossing all the fingers and toes that I don't come down with his plague.  And so, we venture into our fourth weekend in a row filled with naps, Netflix and takeout.

However, I'm definitely well enough to participate in Healthy Vegan Fridays this week!  This week I'm sharing AP's breakfast.  I make a batch of this granola every Sunday, and he eats it for breakfast all week long.  If you've been granola shopping recently, you know how ridiculously expensive it is.  $8 for a little bag of oats???  Not on my watch. 

My recipe is based on this one, but pared down and spiced up a bit.  With crappier pictures.

Peanut Butter Breakfast Chow

1/2 cup PB2 powder (you can use regular peanut butter or almond butter if preferred)

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup maple syrup

1.5 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon vanilla

1-2 teaspoon garam masala, depending on how much zing you want.

6 cups rolled oats

Dump everything except the oats into a huge bowl, and stir until fully combined.

PB2!  I love how it blends in sauces, much smoother compared to regular nut butters.

That's the good stuff. 

Once everything is combined.give it a taste, make sure you like it. Then add in the oats; add 3 cups, stir until fully coated, then add the other 3 cups and stir until it's all uniformly peanut buttery.

Leave no oat uncoated.

Spread the chow on a nonstick pan, and toss into a 350F oven.

Make sure it's spread out evenly. 

Let the granola go for about 15 minutes, then take it out and stir it so it doesn't burn.  Put it back in for another 10 minutes or so.  Keep an eye on it- every oven is different!  My oven takes 15 minutes, stir, 5 minutes, stir, 5 minutes, done.  It's an old crappy oven though, so your mileage may vary.

Finished!

Bam! A week's worth of fancy granola for pennies.  I even got a swank cereal box from Ikea.

Suck it Whole Foods.

That's all I got this week- hopefully by next week this family will be back in full swing.  Or at least weaned off our humidifier addiction.

Back from the Dead

Well well well, time flies when you are bedridden and doped up on sizzurp.

I've been sequestered in the house for the last two weeks, allowed out only to be poked and prodded by various doctors.

Thoroughly irritated.

Hiding my face from the paparazzi

It started out as just a virus, but thanks to my shitty compromised immune system it quickly upgraded to full-blown pneumonia.  As awesome as the Humira is for keeping my AS symptoms in check, it makes it a hell of a lot easier for non-serious shit to morph into crazy shit.

I managed to avoid hospitalization thanks to my wonderful nurse AP, who diligently monitored my breathing, but it was pretty gnarly.  I was sleeping sitting upright on the couch and couldn't go 5 feet from the humidifier.

Today was the first day I've left the house at all since Tuesday's rheumotologist trip.  We grabbed a zip car, ran some errands, and then swung by Veggie Grill for some grub.  I haven't been eating anything substantial while I've been sick, so it was super exciting to sit down to a healthy, delicious meal!

Bombay bowl!  Kale, quinoa, roasted veggies, beans and green curry sauce.  Not pictured: a piece of chocolate chip cookie and a kickass strawberry lemonade.

Tonight I'll be making lazy pizza for dinner.  Thaw some frozen homemade dough, top with sauce, vegan cheese and veggies, and you're good to go.  It's a small step but it's nice to be getting back to normal.  Once I stop wheezing and am back to my daily Pup walks, I'll be much happier.

Um... what?

Leave me alone, I'm waiting for Daddy to come home.

For once I don't ruin my mom's picture with a grouch-face.

I will miss the extra cuddles he's been giving me.  Even though they've all been a ruse to try and eat my used tissues, I've been enjoying them.