A short break

Well, I'm knee deep in interest rate parity, current account balances, and the various ramifications of fiscal policy on the exchange rate, but I thought I'd take a break from sloshing around, grab onto the nearest ledge, and quickly share this granola recipe with you. You know, because it's imperative. I don't know why, but I find a bowl of cereal, milk, and fruit to be the most comforting thing on the planet. Granola is no exception to the rule... and as I've found that the store-bought kind tends to be overly sweet, homemade is now my favorite option. Plus, what more fulfilling way is there to fill every crevice of your home or student apartment with the pleasant aroma of spice and toasted grains?

What I like about this recipe is that it gives you the freedom to experiment- or test the ranges of the hippie spectrum. For example, if you'd like to add flax seeds and millet, please, hop down to the nearest food co-op and be my guest! If you'd like to finally peruse Trader Joe's selection of nuts and dried fruits, only to come up with an epic blend of tropical granola mayhem, go right ahead! Just be sure to let me know what you do.... because while I'm quite pleased with my mixture (sliced almonds, dried cranberries, dried golden raisins... simple!) I'd love to emerge from these swampy economic waters with a new recipe in hand.

Granola
adapted from multiple sources, but namely this one. This site has some excellent suggestions for add-ins.

3 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups of nuts, fruits, grains, etc. that you'd like to add
1/3 cup wheat bran *(optional, but I like to think it's good for texture)
1 tsp cinnamon (again, you can add cardamon, nutmeg, allspice, etc.!)

1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbs water

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour the honey, vegetable oil, and water in a small pan and place over low heat until the liquids are completely mixed together. Then pour the liquid (it's hot! Watch out!) into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix until everything's well coated. Finally, pour onto a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes... you'll want to check halfway through and stir things up a bit to ensure that the granola cooks evenly.

Enjoy!