I made you a playlist (and a snack)
GF cardamom cherry granola, a rainy-day playlist, and other things that made me feel better.
About a month ago, I wrapped a five-part interview series and a project with a brand you probably love. I gave it everything -energy, heart, ideas- and didn’t get the job. Since then, I’ve been a little adrift. Trying to remember what lights me up. Trying to steer toward something steady.
Some things that have helped:
Noticing that nothing is boring if you really look
Grieving what I lost, but not letting it set up camp
Writing. I’ve been doing morning pages (more here), and it’s been surprisingly insightful. It’s wild what bubbles up when you let yourself write without editing, straight from the brain to the page.
Music. I’ve been deep in my blue period playlist. I might just be a sad girl at heart. (Also, it’s been raining for a week straight, so it feels… appropriate.) Here’s my playlist! Tell me you love it.
Getaways with friends… I just spent the weekend in West Virginia with friends and our kids. We spent our days outside, rolling down hills, building fires, hammock swinging, dancing in diapers (the kids, mostly). We totally unplugged. It didn’t fix everything, but it reminded me that joy is simple and usually free.
We came back home from our weekend trip with a comical surplus of oats, so I made a massive batch of cardamom cherry granola. It’s gloriously salty, nutty, and way less cloying than the store-bought stuff.
No, I don’t know exactly what’s next, but I’m paying closer attention, making good things, and trusting that it’s all taking shape, even if slowly.
Make the granola, blast the playlist and tell me what’s helping you feel good these days. And let me know what kind of recipes or content do you want from me next, too!
xo until next time,
Atara
Granola for Rainy Days (feat. Cardamom, Cherries & Tahini)
Ingredients
– 4 cups gluten-free rolled oats
– 2 cups mixed nuts & seeds (I used pecans, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame)
– 1 tsp salt
– 1 tsp cinnamon
– ½ tsp ground cardamom (don’t skip this!)
– ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
– ¾ cup coconut oil, melted
– ¾ cup maple syrup
– ½ cup tahini
– 2 cups dried fruit (sour cherries, golden raisins, chopped dates… whatever is in your pantry)
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line 1–2 baking sheets with parchment.
In a big bowl, mix all the dry ingredients.
In another bowl (or small saucepan if your oil’s still solid), mix the coconut oil, maple syrup, and tahini until smooth.
Pour the wet mixture over the dry and stir until everything is evenly coated.
Spread the granola onto your baking sheets in an even layer.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
Let it cool completely without touching it. At least 45 minutes.
Once cool, top with your dried fruit. Break it into chunks with your hands or stir it all up.
Store in an airtight container for 1–2 weeks on the counter.