barb_roselover_in- How much tomato powder did you order? If it's a small amount (8-oz. or less), then store it in the refrigerator. It hardens because there are no fillers (ingredients) to keep it free-flowing. So any time you open it, get in and get out quickly. The moisture in the air can cause it to clump, or even harden. I tuck a few moisture absorbers (leftovers from bottles of supplements we take) in the top of the jar to absorb any moisture from opening the jar. Your frost-free refrigerator is a very dry environment, which is why it works to keep your powder dry, so to speak ;-). If the tomato powder gets hard, you can usually break it up with a spoon or grate it on a fine box grater or microplane back into a powder again. Just don't leave the lid off for any length of time. If you purchased a large amount, like a #10 can, place it in user-friendly amounts - pint or 1/2-pint canning jars - and vacuum-seal them shut with a FoodSaver using the jar attachment. Kept in a dry, dark and cool environment (vacuum-sealed) it has an indefinite shelf-life. I've suffered with arthritis since I was 14-years old, so you have my sympathy.... You may get some relief if you limit foods from nightshade plants, so you might want to research that. I decreased inflammation considerably by eliminating wheat. I have a flaker mill so I can make flakes from a large variety of soft grains - rye, spelt, einkorn, barley, wheat, kamut, quinoa, oat groats, triticale... Check Bob's Red Mill for a variety of flakes. Unfortunately, nothing tastes like oats. Many years ago a local mill made "heavy bran" from hard winter white wheat, which was made like oatmeal, and worked in recipes just like oatmeal - but that wonderful taste was sorely missing. I was part of a small group challenged to use heavy bran in recipes, but the product was too work-intensive to be put into production on a local basis - after I used 25# of it in experimental recipes. Heavy bran is generally used as the base product for making flaked cereals. You may have better luck if you soak your oats, rather than consuming them raw in granola. Or soak and dehydrate them first, if you want to use them in granola-type mixtures. Oats contain more phytates than almost any other grain. I generally soak and dehydrate nuts before I add them to granola so they are easier to digest and have more available nutrition. If you aren't familiar with soaking gains/nuts/seeds, check your library for a copy of "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon with Mary G. Enig, Ph.D., and you can find more information on-line. When it comes to chia seeds, I purchase them 5-pounds at a time and have used them for 7-8 years. They are my #1 health food. -Grainlady

CLBlakey- I've actually never made it because it uses ingredients (white and brown sugar) I rarely ever use. It's a recipe I have in my "in case of" emergency substitution recipes. It's sure to be thin when hot/warm, and thicken somewhat when cool/cold. The longer it cooks, the less water will remain in the mixture due to evaporation, and that can have some affect on the thickness. The cream of tartar will also have a thickening effect. I doubt it would make any difference whether it's thick or thin for using in granola --- it's the sugar action during baking you want, and that comes from all high-glucose sweeteners whether they are liquid or dry/solid. If they are dry/solid they melt in the oven anyway. Do a Google (or other search engine) search for "granola recipes sweetened with applesauce". Some may also have some other kind of sweetener, but in lower amounts than the 2/3 c. your recipe calls for. I found a sugar-free recipe using applesauce doing a quick search (see the link below). I've never tried it, but I'm copying the recipe to make with applesauce I make from homemade dehydrated apples. I don't add dried fruit to granola because it tends to soften the granola during storage (I like to keep it crispy). I'll add it, as needed, when served. I actually make all our "cereal", both hot and cold varieties. Some are made with the pulp leftover from making almond or almond/coconut milk, so they are gluten-free and low-glycemic. -Peanut Butter Granola (1/3 c. honey) -Clumpy Granola (6 T. br. sugar, 1/4 c. maple syrup, 2 t. honey) -Nutola (1/4 c. agave nectar, 2 T. maple syrup -Corn Flakes (1/4 c. granulated or powdered sugar) -Wheat Flakes (I use einkorn, rye, oats or spelt - 2 T. honey) -Faux Cinnamon Crunch Cereal (1/2 c. apple juice) -Grainlady Here is a link that might be useful: Applesauce Granola

I love this adapatation by Molly Wisenberg/Orangette of Nigella Lawson's. A lot are too sweet for my taste. . .this one is not. Enjoy! Daily Granola Adapted from Nigella Lawson�s Feast The recipe that follows is the way I�ve come to use Nigella�s recipe. Of course, tweak as you will. For example, feel free to use whatever type of nut you like best - just one, or a variety. You could add some flax seeds, if you like, or some shredded coconut. If you like your granola with dried fruit, go ahead and add some - but after baking, not before. And about the applesauce: I like to buy it in those single-serving cups, the kind made to go in kids� lunchboxes. I used to buy it in bigger glass jars, but I found that it started to go moldy before I could use it all. The smaller containers are very handy that way; there�s less waste. Finally, I highly recommend eating this granola with plain soy milk. I like it with plain yogurt or regular milk too, but soy milk is especially good. This granola also mixes nicely with other cereals, like this one, and this one. Dry ingredients: 5 cups rolled oats 2 to 3 cups raw almonds or pecan halves, or a mixture 1 cup hulled raw sunflower seeds � cup sesame seeds � cup light brown sugar 2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. ground ginger 1 tsp. salt Wet ingredients: � cup unsweetened apple sauce 1/3 cup brown rice syrup � cup honey 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, such as canola or safflower Set racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 300�F. In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Stir to mix well. In a small bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients. Stir to mix well. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ones, and stir well. Spread the mixture evenly on two rimmed baking sheets. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until evenly golden brown. Set a timer to go off every ten minutes while the granola bakes, so you can rotate the pans and give the granola a good stir; this helps it to cook evenly. When it�s ready, remove the pans from the oven, stir well � this will keep it from cooling into a hard, solid sheet � and set aside to cool. The finished granola may still feel slightly soft when it comes out of the oven, but it will crisp as it cools. Scoop cooled granola into to a large zipper-lock plastic bag or other airtight container. Store in the refrigerator indefinitely. Yield: about 10 cups

Here's one from the low Glycemic Index Recipe Book: GRANOLA BARS - Makes 16 bars 1 1/3 cups wholewheat flour sweetener - equivalent to 1/3 cup sugar 2 tsp baking powder 1/4 cup wheat bran 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp allspice 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp salt (optional) 1 1/2 cups rolled oats 1 cup apricots - finely chopped 1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce 1/2 cup apple juice 3 low-cholesterol (omega 3) eggs 2 tsp vegetable oil 1. Line a shallow 8 x 12 inch baking dish with parchment paper. 2. Mix the flour, sweetener, baking powder, bran and spices in a large bowl. Stir in the oats, apricots and sunflower seeds. 3. Mix the applesauce, apple juice, eggs and oil, and add to the flour mixture. 4. Pour into the baking dish and spread evenly. 5. Bake at 400F for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool and cut into bars. Source: The Glycemic Index Diet - The Easy, Healthy Way to Permanent Weight Loss. Rick Gallop 2002 My Comments: I haven't yet made these but will be doing so in the next weeks. I use granulated white fructose in place of white sugar as it is rated as low GI. I have made several of Rick Gallop's recipes and find them to be very good, helping me lose 25 lbs in 3 months. ********************************* Here's his recipe for Granola Cereal: GI GRANOLA 1 1/2 cups (7 oz) jumbo porridge oats 1 x 40 oz pack of dried apple rings, chopped OR 2/3 cup (3 oz) dried cranberries or 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz) unsalted sunflower seeds 1/3 cup (2 oz) sesame seeds 1/3 cup (2 1/2 oz) chopped almonds 1/4 cup (2 oz) ground flaxseeds or linseeds 1 TBS ground cinnamon 2 teasp grated orange zest 1/2 teasp sea salt 1 large egg white 1 TBS vegetable oil 1 TBS clear honey 2 teasp frozen orange juice concentrate 1 teasp vanilla essence 1. Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Mix together in a large bowl the oats, apple, sunflower seeds,sesame seeds, almonds, flaxseeds or linseeds,cinnamon, orange zest and salt. 2. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg white, oil, honey, orange juice concentrate and vanilla essence. Pour this into the oat mixture and toss until thoroughly coated. Turn out onto a shallow baking tray lined with nonstick parchment and spread evenly. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, turning the mixture once with a spatula halfway through baking time, or until mixture is golden brown. Store in an airtight container for 2 days at room temperature or freeze for up to one month. Source: Adapted from Rick Gallop's GI Diet Green-Light Cookbook My Comments: I still haven't made this yet as we don't see dried cranberries or frozen orange juice concentrate here but I hope to make substitutes. My friend Lynne made this with dried cranberries she brought back from England. She says it's delicious! *PS January 2007 .....I just found some dried cranberries in a supermarket so will be trying this soon with fresh orange juice. SharonCb