The past two weeks have been filled with space.

Space between sets of waves, to feel the froth of micro-bubbled salt water churning up my goose-bumped legs.

To sleep well past sunrise, the machinations of an energetic toddler lulled back into slumber in my arms.  Space to stretch beyond the boundaries of schedules and to-do lists.

There has been space between the books I’ve read: first this one, and then this.  There has been time to let their words sink and settle; to make plans for life and for my kitchen.

The spaces between times I’ve spent in front of my computer screen have been my favourite, I think.  At first just a few hours at a time and then days, until email and social media were rendered completely irrelevant.  At least, as long as the alternatives included balcony reading, glasses of water dripping condensation, leisurely oceanfront coffee strolls.

I’d like to say that my time away has inspired me to cultivate more space in my regular home life.  And though perhaps it would be poetic to say so, I know that I will slide back into old routines quickly; that I will want to, for the rhythmic familiarity of it.

I made this granola to feature in a post on food styling for The Creative Mama that will go live tomorrow (if you’d like some insight on my creative process, head over there).  This styling of this shoot was my way of fantasizing about how I’d like to eat this breakfast:  with sun streaming through the windows, a hot latte (crossword puzzle not shown).  With space to savour and enjoy; to notice the soft give and salt of toasted pistachio against the crunch of shredded coconut, to marvel in the way the cardamom deepens all the flavours, to think about maybe eating a bowl of it for lunch, too.

Pistachio, Cardamom and Honey Granola

2014-04-07 22:19:28

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Ingredients

1. 6 cups rolled oats
2. 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
3. 1 cup pistachios, chopped
4. 1/3 cup pepitas
5. 6 tablespoons olive oil
6. 1 cup honey
7. 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
8. 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
9. Dash cinnamon; dash nutmeg
10. 2 cups raisins

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325˚ F.
2. Throw the coconut in a large frying pan, distribute it in an even layer over the pan and cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, until it is golden brown. Transfer to a large bowl and return the pan to the burner, this time adding the pistachios and lightly toasting. Add the oats and olive oil and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the oats are slightly browned at the edges.
3. Transfer the oat mixture to the bowl with the coconut in it and stir in the honey, pepitas, and spices.
4. Layer some parchment paper on a large baking sheet. Spread the granola over the sheet in a thick layer and bake, stirring every few minutes, until the granola is light golden brown, about 15 minutes.
5. Cool the granola to room temperature and then remove it from the baking sheet, breaking it into small clusters. Toss in the raisins, stir to incorporate, and store in an airtight container.

By Jessie Harrold

Purple House Café https://www.purplehousecafe.com/