When the idea of The Sparrow first began filling our head space, and our hearts, we knew we wanted it to be a place that invested not only in the students who we were privileged to teach, but the parents who so tirelessly engage in their children’s interests, naturally at the expense of time, but very often alongside an impingement of personal space. From crowded bleachers to busy lobby areas, moms and dads fill the waiting rooms and stands of concert halls and soccer fields. The effort, of course, is given to the well manicured field, not the bony bleachers, and a plethora of time intensive stage props, all to be viewed from a steel folding chair. When it comes to most music studios, you hope to find a seat among the crowded patrons, but even when you do, the 8’x8′ square of a room feels much like that of a waiting room for your next dentist appointment.
What if…
Those thirty minutes that find parents confined to children’s books and folding chairs actually became an anticipated moment in the week? If you were able to enjoy a freshly roasted cup of coffee and locally baked confection amidst a cafe like setting. Where as a parent you feel equally invested in as your child, because the space created for you is one that prompts stillness.
We did not intend to delve into The Sparrow until such a space could be crafted, but with the onset of Covid-19 conditions, we are finding value in offering The Sparrow even before this heartbeat can be brought to life. Though we are envisioning such a space no less, and so in the meantime, wanted to at least bring the café to you.
Here and there we will be sharing a favorite baked item, straight from our home kitchen to yours. Food so marvelously engages the senses that it absolutely can serve to lay a foundation of rest. That is, of course, if you are sure to pour yourself cup of coffee once it comes out of the oven.
Let’s begin with a recipe that will fill your house with the most heavenly of aromas: Granola. Best eaten only just cooled, and no milk required. At The Sparrow we would serve this in individual sized bags, allowing you to munch and muse while the woodland light pours in. Seems the best way to indulge in some homemade granola, don’t you think?
Homemade Granola
Ingredients
4 cups rolled oats
½ cp flax seed
1 cp sliced almonds
1 cp raw pumpkin seeds
½ cp unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
1 cp. dried fruit *we prefer strawberries
1/4 cp brown sugar
1/4 cp raw honey
1/4 cp maple syrup
2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
- Heat oven to 350°
- Mix together rolled outs, sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- Place a small pan over low heat and melt butter. Once melted, quickly add brown sugar, raw honey, maple syrup, and vanilla extract and stir until all ingredients are well blended.
- Remove from heat and pour slowly over granola mixture, stirring as you go to maintain an even coating.
- Spread evenly over cookie sheet and place in oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and mix with fork. Place back in oven for another 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven once more and mix with fork, adding in any dried fruit. Place back in oven for a final 5 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool.
- Seal in an airtight container. Best kept for up to two weeks.
