The first time I walked into Whole Foods Market, I felt overwhelmed.
The colors and smells were intense. Fresh salmon from the fish counter mixed with the smell of the fresh berries displayed just inside the door. Row upon row of red, green, orange and yellow vegetables lined the wall. A woman was passing out samples of crackers with some kind of hot jelly spread to anyone who wanted to try. There were bins full of nuts and grains and dried fruit. Beautiful flowers sat in tubs, ready to be fashioned into arrangements. It was mind-boggling. I felt like I had entered a foreign land.
I was there for a purpose – I was determined to start making better food choices. But I had no clue what I was doing.
For years (ever since our Great Depression) I had been studying nutrition, supplements and alternative health. In fact, my friends knew that I could, and often did, spout off ad nauseam about topics like magnesium and thyroid and Vitamin D. (Seriously. Studying all that stuff makes my heart beat faster.)
There was only one problem: the supplement part I was doing, (I was faithfully taking what I believed would help me), but the nutrition part…not so much.
I was overweight, undernourished and eating all the wrong things. To top it off, a month before, I had fallen on our back deck and injured my ankle and hip. I was facing possible surgery on the ankle and feeling pretty old and miserable.
Then, during one of my long, sleepless, pain-filled nights, I felt the unmistakable presence of God.
That was not a new thing — I was used to long conversations in the middle of the night. But this time, instead of comfort, I felt like I was being gently scolded.
It wasn’t audible, but it was very clear. It was as though I heard Him say, “Claudine, you have been studying this stuff forever but you don’t live it. I have protected you for long time now you need to protect yourself. You need to live what you know.”
It was such a strong impression that I knew I couldn’t ignore it. It felt as though God was sort of handing the ball back to me.
“What can I do God?” I prayed. “I can’t exercise, I can barely walk. I can’t lift weights or dance or do any of the things that sound fun. What do you want me to do?”
The message was clear. It was time to act on all the information I had been studying. It was time to walk the talk. (This was REALLY scary.)
That was why I was in Whole Foods. I knew I physically couldn’t do much at the moment, but I could change what I put in my mouth.
As I stood there in the store feeling slightly lost, I heard someone call my name.
“Claudine, how are you?”
It was Dr. Joe, my chiropractor and a friend from church. He was standing next to a stack of oranges putting them one by one into a bag.
I limped over to where he stood. “I’m better than last week.” Then I couldn’t help myself, (the relief I felt at seeing a friendly face kicked my rambling chatter button on). “I am trying to get through this (referring to my injury) and I know I need to eat healthier and I’ve never been here before, I have no idea what I’m doing, there is so much stuff here, how do you pick anything out?”
He just laughed (he is kinda used to me) and proceeded to give me a quick overview of the store.
“Oh, you know something that would be good for you? Do you like granola?” he asked.
“Yes, I answered. “I think it’s expensive, but I like it.”
“I make one that is really good. It would be a great start for you in the mornings. You need to try it,” and he proceeded to tell me the ingredients and how he made it.
“Wait, I’ll never remember that,” I said, digging in my purse until I found an old receipt and ink pen. “Here, write it down,” I said, handing him the paper.
He did and I bought the ingredients that day. I also spilled the oatmeal all over the floor as I scooped it out of the bin. Embarrassing!
The very next morning I made it and I’ve been making it ever since.
That was my introduction to Whole Foods and the first day of a long line of better choices that I’ve made over the last two and a half years. I determined that the food we had at home would be organic and as fresh as possible. I made up my mind that even though it cost more, it had to be done. God had pressed on my heart an urgency to change. I needed to be obedient.
Last week, as I was sitting at my desk munching granola, I thought you might like to try it, too.
Enjoy!
Dr. Joe’s Granola
In a large bowl, mix together
3 ½ cups of thick rolled oats (not quick oats) 1 cup pecan pieces 1 cup coconut (shaved) ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds ½ cup raw sunflower seeds ½ cup sliced almondsAdd 4 to 8 teaspoons of cinnamon (We use the full 8)
In a saucepan on medium heat: Melt 6 tablespoons of salted butter, ½ c honey, and 4-6 teaspoons of vanilla together (I use Mexican vanilla when I can — it just has a better flavor.)
Toss with the nut mix
Spread in a shallow pan and bake at 250F for 45 minutes. Stir, and then bake for another 30 minutes.
Cool and store in an airtight container.
Some people like milk with their granola. I like to eat mine plain from a pretty ironstone teacup.
Extra: During a Daniel Fast, I ate this granola every morning. I used coconut oil in place of the butter and rice syrup in place of the honey. It was still yummy.
Great recipe Claudine! Thanks for once again sharing your heart with us too. You are uplifting & encouraging!
I make my own granola too. However, you should use local honey. It has lots of nutrients and helps with allergies to local pollens. I’m sure your chiropractor would agree.