I love starting my day right with a healthy breakfast, and with all the amazing fruits and berries in season, I decided to make a homemade sweet granola with dried fruit! Here is a fun DIY for your summer days. It's the perfect balance of ease, health and sweetness to jumpstart your morning.
Ingredients:
3 Cups rolled oats
1 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup shredded coconut
1/4 Cup maple syrup
1/4 Cup vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup dried fruit or berries of choice (handmade or store bought)
Preheat oven to 250 degrees (f). In a large bowl combine oats, coconut and brown sugar. In a separate small bowl mix salt, vegetable oil, and maple syrup till cloudy. Next pour the vegetable oil mixture into your large bowl of oats and toss till all oats have been slightly dampened by the oil mixture (i used my hands for this part, it was much easier than a spatula or spoon). Pour your oats into a sheet pan and cook for 1 Hour. After baking, remove granola chunks and loose oats and pour into a bowl with your dried fruit of choice. Stir together with a spoon and serve.
I used apples, rhubarb and strawberries from the Saturday street market in Portland, and dried them especially for my granola. Combined with some almond milk, this is my new favorite snack!!
Watermelon Lemonade is a summer treat I make for any social gathering. It's always a hit, and takes under 10 minutes to make. All you need are 2 lemons, 1 watermelon, a big pitcher and a can of lemonade and water. 
Begin by cutting up your watermelon into 2" chunks and tossing them into a blender. Add can of lemonade and water, then blend on the "puree" setting. After all is blended, pour into a pitcher and add 2 sliced lemons into the mix for aesthetic pleasure. Serve in cute little glasses or mason jars, even add sugar to the rims for an additional kick. (*this lemonade can also be made with 2 cups vodka or 2 cups gin for added fun!)
