Lean and Mean Cuisine Ep. 1: Ultimate Granola

I love food.

And I enjoy preparing my own meals. But cooking and eating food shouldn’t consume your life. That was something I always despised about the fitness lifestyle.

“Eat every 2-3 hours.”

“6 small, protein rich meals every day.”

You’re basically eating, digesting, preparing or thinking about your meals all day. That’s not the life I want to live. As much as I love food, I don’t want it running my day. No tupperware chicken for me.

When I put together meal plans for my clients I try and provide recipes that are:

• easy to prepare,
• very tasty and
• in-tune with the clients personal goals.

Portion sizes

I don’t give specific portion sizes or recommendations. I want you to have the liberty to configure how much food/ how many calories you eat at a given meal. The foundation of the meal remains the same regardless if you’re trying to gain muscle or lose weight. You’ll just have to adjust the portion size and the macronutrient ratios to fit your individual needs.

These recipes are not low carb, low fat or low calorie. I only eat real food. Making sure to eat according to my current needs. It can be done. Learn to work your favorite foods into your meal plan and make staying in shape satisfying, rewarding and sustainable. Now let’s get to the fun part.

Ultimate Granola

Ingredients:

• 7 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup instant milk
• 1 cup wheat germ (key ingredient)
• 1 cup sunflower oil
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts are best)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

Preparation:

• Preheat oven at 240 °F (115 °C)
• Combine dry ingredients in a bowl, then add maple syrup and oil. Stir until you have an even mixture
• Pour the mixture in a baking tray and spread it out evenly
• Bake at 240 °F (115 °C) for 40 min
• Stir mixture, then put it back in
• Bake for another 20 min at 260 °F (125 °C)
• Done

Enjoy the best granola known to man with some yogurt, fruit or whatever else you like. Feel free to experiment with different types of nuts, sweeteners and dried fruits.

Disclaimer: Your taste buds will not accept the store bought variety after you’ve introduced them to this.

 

Until then

Victor