Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Good Morning yogurt & granola Contest

So, you all must have assumed that I really, really like yogurt & granola by now. My morning meal of choice, most days out of the year. Simple vanilla is my favorite, with bulk pumpkin seed granola* from the Co-op and a few berries on top. Yum.
I couldn't think of a good name for this blog back on July 21, 2006 and was getting really frustrated that all of the good ones were taken. Being close to midnight, I started to think about bed and breakfast (in that order), hence yogurt & granola was born. Not the most exciting name, but true to its writer, nonetheless.

So, with morning as the loose theme here, let's open a contest to celebrate this blogiversary (a bit late).

The last morning of our trip to the Adirondacks was misty. A misty morning on a perfectly calm lake with mountains for the backdrop and deep evergreens in the foreground. Had I not already packed the camera, you'd be seeing this now too, but since I did not get a photo, imagine...

This misty morning inspired me to think about yarn (what doesn't?) and lace-y projects so I thought that three skeins of Knit Picks Shimmer in "Morning Mist" would be a good way to start off - 1,320 yards of laceweight yarn just waiting to become your next project (70% baby alpaca, 30% silk, 50g/440yds each). These colors represent that Adirondack morning almost perfectly. Consider it your picture postcard.And since it's obvious that I love yogurt, how about The Stonyfield Farm Yogurt Cookbook - 340 pages of delicious yogurt recipes for all meals of the day, not just breakfast (and including dessert!). Just in time for fall cooking.**
These treasures will be sent to the winner of my "Good Morning yogurt & granola Contest" which officially opens today. To enter:
  • Leave a comment here with your favorite morning treat, story, or other inspiration by 10pm on August 30. (I'm in the Midwest, so adjust your deadline time accordingly.)
  • Please include your email address with your comment, as Blogger does not always make it easy to reach people.
  • This contest is open to everyone, U.S. + International!
I will announce the randomly selected winner in the "love, friday" edition the following morning, August 31.

Thank you, my dear readers, for stopping by to visit and hear tales of Jackson and fiber fun over the past year. You have made this blogging adventure truly exciting and I'm looking forward to Year Two of y&g - who knows where this will go? I am grateful for all of the new friends whom I've met in the blogosphere and also look forward to your tales of morning treats and treasures! For now, I leave you with another take on morning from the lovely Emily:

Out of the Morning - E. Dickinson

Will there really be a morning ?
Is there such a thing as day ?
Could I see it from the mountains
If I were as tall as they ?

Has it feet like water-lilies ?
Has is feathers like a bird ?
Is it brought from famous countries
Of which I have never heard ?

Oh, some scholar ! Oh, some sailor !
Oh, some wise man from the skies !
Please to tell a little pilgrim
Where the place called morning lies !

_______________________________
*I so miss my granola. Unfortunately, it's off-limits due to Jackson's peanut allergy. I know there are completely peanut- and nut-free granola recipes out there but I've been too lazy to search. An extra contest prize totally goes out to the person with the best peanut- and tree-nut free granola recipe!

**I'm not sure if the cookbook is vegetarian since I'm still waiting for it to arrive, but it's definitely not vegan. If you win and are vegan, please let me know and I'll come up with another cool vegan cookbook!

55 comments:

jcbtxstars said...

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Julia
jcbtxstars
jcbias@grandecom.net

Anonymous said...

C~
OH, that yarn! I *love* it!
I will research my allergy-free cookbooks for a good recipe.
Love and light to you
K~

Anonymous said...

I'm much like you! My morning is almost always (soy) yogurt with Kashi's "To Good Friends" cereal and some fresh fruit (or dried cherries) and a cup of tea. Except for Tuesdays when I'm on the reference desk in the morning, then I just have a luna bar. Also, your quote (and any time anyone mentions Emily Dickinson) reminds me - my student union building in undergrad redid some of the structures, and one place they turned into a glass wall with food quotes all over it. One was Emily - "How luscious lies the pea within the pod" I couldn't walk by that without breaking out into a huge grin and wondering if the administration was laughing too, or whether they were clueless.

LaVerna said...

MMmmm yogurt!I love yogurt in the morning with a banana.It keeps my blood sugar level up better than anything else.My favorite is Fit n Trim Blackberry.
Happy Blogiversary!

TinkingBell said...

Our favourite breakfast for (now) 5 year old and (nearly) 3 year old - Penguin waffles - 18 months ago the kids bought me (hmm - my choice and cash of course) a waffle maker that makes 2 penguin shaped waaffles with a litle rounf tummy to put things in (poached eggs, ice cream, fresh berries, banana and maple syrup etc) They help me make waffles from scratch and then we have a lovely family breakfast - waffles, hot chocolate, fresh coffee. It doesn't get any better than that!
Happy Blogiversary! So glad to have you back!

Aunt Jenny said...

My favorite breakfast is for sure oatmeal..not instant or quick..the really yummy old fashioned rolled oats..yum! With a little real maple syrup, a little butter and cream..man..that sounds good!!
That yarn is to die for!!!
Happy Blogiversary!!!

Corgimom said...

On a busy morning, blueberries and yogurt are a great on the go breakfast. Or raspberry white chocolate scones from any independent coffeehouse. On a lazy morning, either DH's buttermilk overnight waffles, or Rachel Ray's Ranch Hand eggs with salsa verde. Or, ricotta pancakes. Or, Dutch puff pancakes with real maple syrup. MMMMM....I think it's time for dinner now.
e-mail, petmelly@yahoo.com

Rebecca said...

THE TREAT
My morning treat is COFFEE. I don't get it every day for breakfast, but I wish I did. There is a story with it.

THE STORY
My husband is anti-coffee. He has never had it. Never. So he doesn't understand coffee. There is no coffee maker in the house. My mother-in-law comes to visit next week and called today to inform me she has mailed a small coffee maker and ground coffee in advance of her visit.

THE INSPIRATION
I look forward to early morning days at my office so I can make a big pot of coffee. My office smells of coffee and I equate that smell to getting to work early and accomplishing a lot. Maybe coffee as inspiration?

THE RECIPE
As for the recipe part, I don't have any granola ideas, but I thought about your pesto problem. How about trying sunflower seeds?

Cloudberry said...

Happy blogiversary :)
The yarn is beautiful!

My favourite breakfast is when we can sit together the hole family, with lots of food, eating fresh rolls out of the oven. And there must be tea ;)

Here are a few granola recipe without nuts ^^

http://www.dominomag.com/howtos/recipes/sweet/granola
http://www.calorie-count.com/recipe/50296.html

hege-svendsen@c2i.net

Becca said...

Catherine, I have a recipe made for you! It's the granola my mom's been making for years and I have since taken to making it for myself (and my family if they're REAL good) in a giant-batch-every-month-ly manner. I'll email it to you so's not to clog the blog.
And breakfast if perhaps my favorite meal of the day, so I'll get back to you and your contest!
Becca

Chris said...

Belated happy blogiversary! Please consider me NOT entered - someone not lactose-intolerant would get much better use of the cookbook than I!

Brigitte said...

Mmmmm...my kind of breakfast! Only I make my own yogourt, yum.

Favourite breakfast? Hmmm - real oats (the steel cut variety, unprocessed) and apples with cinnamon on top. All unprocessed and yummy to boot!

'k now I'm hungry.

bellamoden said...

Happiness is being who you are. I cling to that every day.

And I love yogurt, fruit, and shortcake. I know it's silly but I love it.

bellamoden AT gmail DOT com

Anonymous said...

Ah, I am a morning person myself, so I think this is a clever and lovely idea! It's especially enjoyable to be a morning person during the summer, when I'm off from work and can ease into the day with some yoga, ginger tea, oatmeal (also only the "real" stuff, cooked on the stovetop, mixed with butter, maple syrup, and whatever fresh fruit is on hand) followed by a good book (currently reading Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point)!

Happy Blogversary - I enjoy reading y&g! :-)

yogini07 AT hotmail DOT com

Susanne said...

I don't know what you call it but I make a blender thing with yogurt, protein powder, some frozen fruit (usually blueberries) and some juice..or skim milk, depending on what is in the fridge. Give it a whir + and you have a great drink/breakfast!!

pigbook1 said...

Morning treat of choice - spaghetti
Britt pigbook1@gmail.com
And my inspiration for those days when it feels easier to be in bed
"No one ever got anywhere worth going in bed" ~my mother
It was supposed to be motivating but it can sound quite awkward

Heide said...

I love mornings! I pour my coffee, send my Dh out the door and enjoy some quiet, reflective time. Once my girls wake up it's full steam ahead for the day.

The breakfast which makes me feel the best and ready for my day is old fashioned rolled oats oatmeal. I love to put dried cherries and almonds in with it. Quick oats and instant just don't seem to stay with me throughout the morning.

I have some recipes buried someplace in the depths of my cupboard for scones made with the afore-mentioned oatmeal and soy milk. And although the recipe includes almonds, they could easily be left out. Can Jackson have coconut?

ikkinlala said...

Happy blogiversary!

I like yogurt and granola for breakfast, or oatmeal, or omelette (my dad makes good ones), or cold pizza, or any number of things... but my favourite breakfast ever is the waffles my aunt makes on Sundays. She's in a different province, so if I'm lucky I get to eat them once a year.

We do make our own granola, but it's fairly heavy on the nuts.

Anonymous said...

Happy belated Blogiversary!

My favourite morning treat is a full-on breakfast, eggs and fresh-baked bread and peameal bacon. Though when if comes to yogurt, I don't think anything cam compete with some Balkan-style plain yogurt, a sprinkle of granola, and a generous amount of real maple syrup. Yum. Now I'm hungry!

Gretchen said...

Happy blogiversary! I make a great homemade granola too, with lots of dried fruits and nuts, though the nuts could be left out. I also have a great baked oatmeal recipe, that's really warm and filling. Breakfast has become one of my favorite meals- I love making scones, eggs, muffins, pancakes... you name it! And coffee, must have coffee! I'll send you the recipes, if you'd like.

ghhawks AT yahoo DOT com

SheepsPyjamas said...

I'm not too picky aboout morning food; pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, you name it, kids and breakfast and all. But my fave morning treat is no food -- give me some coffee and some time before the kids get up on a weekend and just let me sit and knit...

I love your blog name, by the way -- turns out that not all the cool ones were taken... :)

sheepspyjamas at gmail dot com

Shirley said...

Happy Blogiversary. My favourite breakfast treat is a bowl of Shreddies because I can only find them from one store and for some reason they remind me of home.

Kenyetta said...

Happy Blogiversary! My favorite morning treat when I lived in NY was - yogurt and granola. Looked just like your picture. Since I moved to VA, my treat now is store bought yogurt with granola cereal, no fruit.
kenyetta dot davis at gmail dot com

knitnzu said...

Happy blogiversary! My mornings are typically a wheat english muffin with all fruit orange marmalade, sometimes with a side of rich and fatty vanilla yogurt. Mid morning snack? Best is that yogurt with berries. I'll email you my granola recipe, you can omit the nuts!

knitnzu said...

Oops, here's my email (knitnzu.com), lisasaint AT gwi DOT net.

thursday said...

I love sitting in our room with all the windows, eating my oatmeal (cooked in too much water and *drained* so it won't be gooey..yes, I'm a bit odd that way) with a little cinnamon and brown sugar and topped with vanilla unsweetened soy milk and sipping my coffee. Every morning. For several years now. Before that I tried yogurt and granola - perhaps I would've stuck with it if I'd put yummy fruit in, too.

I love the poem. :)
tygerlotus AT gmail DOT com

Ann-Marie MacKay said...

my most favourite breakfast is a croissant with raspberry jam--but i don't eat them very often.
i like yogurt as well--strawberry or raspberry. it's so fresh--i love it!

Ann-Marie MacKay said...

whoops, forgot my e-mail address;
sprouty25@gmail.com

wenat said...

I get a nut-free granola from my local organic delivery place in Vancouver, but I'm sure they've got something in your area too. Email me if you want a link to the manufacturer -- allergicmom (at) gmail (dot) com.

They use sunflower seeds and sesame seeds instead of nuts, and it's really tasty. It's one of my favourite morning (or afternoon, or latenight snack) treats.

Theresa said...

I can eat breakfast for any meal of the day. Cereal, yogurt, eggs. But my favorite breakfasts now are when either my husband or I has been on call and the other person has the day off. When the post-call person gets home, we go to a local diner for omlettes and to catch up on the last 30 hours apart. That catching up is the best breakfast of all.

Turtle said...

Laughing here...cause if folk feel yogurt & granola are boring then i'm boring too! I love the Bare Naked Fit Vanilla w/almonds. Sadly i will have this in a yogurt mango soy smoothie many times for dinner as well...you know when no one is asking for dinner and you don't really have to cook! But each morning at 445 am you will hear my blender whirr as the yogurt banana protein hemp soy smoothie is made with the granola,bee pollen & flax seed dumped in. Big mug fits in the jeep's cup holder and all set to head off to ladies boot camp!

Happy blogiversary!

TinkingBell said...

Whoops forgot my email - cerid AT bigpond DOT net DOT au - got some nice nreakfasts goin' on there - You north american types should try to get together on the yoghurt and granola front one day - with good coffee of course - now that's a nreakfast I love to be a guest at!

Anonymous said...

What a fun contest! My favorite morning treat is groats (whole grain oats). Much crunchier and tastier than oatmeal!

My email is cincinnatiknitting at No spam here you silly bots gmail dot com

catsmum said...

breakfast?
In summer it's yoghurt or a phytoestrogen based cereal for 40+ women [ tastier than it sounds ]but now in the depths of winter - porridge [ oats ] with milk, sugar and a teeny weeny pinch of salt.

catsmum said...

oops forgot the email and to say belated Happy Blogiversary. My bad!
catsmumATtogDOTcomDOTau

Anonymous said...

Happy blogiversary! My favorite breakfast - a big steaming cup of coffee and some knitting out on my deck - just what I need to start the day off right!

danniATdanniknitsDOTcom

Becca said...

I might be the only glutton in the crowd here, but breakfast is all about the waffles, pancakes, and sweets for me! And my favorite of late:
My sister's Oatmeal Pancakes with Walnut Maple Butter. And syrup. And a pile of plain, whole milk yogurt (made at home from our neighbor's cow's milk!) on the side, topped with fresh peaches. And a giant, steaming cup of french roast in my favorite stone mug. And Scott Simon's Weekend Edition on in the background.
It's 6:30 a.m. as I type this in bed. I have to head downstairs and pull out the griddle now...
Becca (rnewhouseATgmail.com)

5elementknitr said...

Lately I am completely addicted to this:

Bowl with some Grapenuts Trail Mix Crunch cereal, topped with a whole, fresh, cut-up peach, then topped with peach yogurt. Mix and gnaw!

Anonymous said...

Happy belated blogiversary!

I adore a pot of good, strong coffee first thing, but since I consider that a necessity rather than a treat:
A mid-morning treat for me is a thick blender drink made with whatever fruit I have on hand—usually banana, blueberries, and raspberries—zuzzed up with plain yogurt or soft tofu and a touch of soy milk. A few drops of vanilla or almond extract vary the taste enough for me to never tire of it.

aliknits AT gmail DOT com

Bonnie said...

Happy Blogiversary. I've been hearing about your blog for ages now and only just recently got the link and stared reading.

I am a morning person but strangely enough not really a breakfast person. I like to get up and go, not get up and eat. But. . .I stil have the things that I love.

I love having something warm to drink in the morning, either a nice cup of tea (black tea with milk or a straight up herbal tea) or a "fru-fru" coffee (mocha, or latte, lots of steamed milk and sugar). Caffine doesn't have to be involved, just the warm drink to sip.

My special treat breakfasts are the days when my husband (I love being able to say that!) gets up before me [a very rare occurance] and makes homemade biscuits and serves them with honey, homemade jelly and butter.

Email:
baue0189 at umn dot edu

smiles!

knitintensity said...

Happy Blogiversary! I don't have this very often, but my favorite breakfast is an omelette with lots of vegetables and cheese with homemade hash brown potatoes. My usual fare is special K protein cereal mixed with fiber one and some blueberries or banana. How cool that you are treating someone to some Adirondack yarn -- I used to live in the Adirondacks. It is really gorgeous there!
Cynthia cpaley at charter dot net

Unknown said...

Hey-

Stopped in to check on you and your boy and saw the contest.

Breakfast for me includes Whole Foods Organic Maple Harvest Granola with Organic Milk. (turly not a typical favorite "Walker" breakfast and I know you know what I mean)

After eating under the skylight in our quaint kitchen I linger at the outside garden table and read and write. (you can read me now at http://inhisarmsagain.blogspot.com) with a cup of organic decaf coffee from Whole Foods with fat-free hazelnut cream from Cub Foods.

Sorry Jackson, all nuts but glad to see that you get cutier every day.

Always love to stay in touch with Family!

Love, Aunt Beth
tandbpederson@comcast.net

Becky said...

My breakfast treat is wheat pancakes with my 2 year old. We sometimes squish up strawberries to make a syrup instead of "regular" syrup.

As for granola recipes, I have an apricot granola muffin recipe that I'll post when I find it.

Happy Blogiversary!
rseipelt AT comcast DOT net

Anonymous said...

Happy blogiversary!

I have two favourite breakfast treats. The first is muesli (or granola as you'd call it - thanks for opening the competition to international people too by the way). My husband makes this muesli:

Raw rolled oats - soft
currents
sultanas
dried cranberries
sunflower seeds
pumpkin seeds
flaked coconut
mixed chopped nuts (brazil, cashew, macadamia)
dried apricots
dried peaches
dried apples

Quantities are flexible. Mix well. I eat 1/2 a cup a day with 6 dessert spoonfuls of yoghurt (yes I'm a little ocd) and a splash of milk.

This is summer breakfast.

Winter breakfast is instant porridge from a packet mixed with quick cook oats, a splash of milk and yoghurt on the side.

Anonymous said...

Happy blogiversary!
My favorite breakfast,thats an easy one! Fresh rolls with strawberry jam and something we have here in norway called "Brunost". Brunost is a dark caramelly goatscheese that is a must have in my fridge. Along with the rolls, a big glass of orange juice and a cup of coffee. My 3 year old daughter loves to have yogurt and granola for breakfast. Her favorite is banana yogurt and musli granola with extra rasins on top.

- Silja
post@siljadevine.com

Anonymous said...

email got wrong... post@silja-devine.com

Sorry :)

Elaine said...

Happy Blogiversary,

Once a week I bake fat-free, sugar free (well sort of) muffins using a low fat bran cereal I get at the natural foods store, whole wheat flour I get there too, egg whites, unsweetened applesauce and skim milk. And then I put in some dried apricots and some well - ur - 60% chocolate chips. Then I eat 2 each morning except for the first morning when I usually have a couple for lunch too since they are soooo good.

Surviving said...

My favorite is Cream of Wheat with a little evaporated milk and brown sugar.

surviving@gmail.com

Jeri said...

my favorite morning treat:
lemon yogurt placed in the freezer for an hour or so, so it is very very cold, almost frozen

Anonymous said...

Great contest! I love Irish oats on a cold rainy morning.
marinablue72 AT aol DOT com

Crescent Moon Mama said...

"The homemaker has the ultimate career. All other
careers exist for one purpose only - and that is to
support this ultimate career." C. S. Lewis


Also, I'm a yogurt and cereal gal myself -- Kashi Cinna Raisin Crunch is my fav.

Janel

Anonymous said...

I have Honey Nut Cheerios, Granola, Dried & non dried cranberries, raisins, and Oat bits in cup of skim milk (a bannan...if I'm lucky)
I eat this for breakfast every week day...its harder to eat breakfast on the weekend. kittyparson AT yahoo DOT com

Clair said...

I would say my favorite morning snack is rice krispy bars with milk. Not my standard breakfast fare of shredded wheat and bananas, but still very good. clairjuly@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

Early mornings in Bolivia are usually spent under my think llama wool blankets and Northface sleeping bag, reading, til I get the ganas (desire) to shower and do my morning yoga. I admit I often skip (!) breakfast, but on mornings I don´t I plug in my electric water pot, heat up water for a bowl of instant oatmeal with raisins, or an herbal tea, and absorb the morning sun on my front stoop. I greet and am greeted by my neighbors and passerbyers with a ¨bien dia¨ as the pueblo starts its day. (Sarah)

Kim Campbell said...

Ah, mine is simple. Plain Greek Yogurt!! I love it naked!!