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Granola is a whole grain, crunchy treat I like, but rarely eat.  The reason: Many granola bars sold in supermarkets are packed with calories, but are not that wholesome.  And they seem very expensive considering the stingy size you get … 3 or 4 bites per bar.  Hey, are we birds, or humans who like to eat?  PLEase! Give us a serving, not a sample.  And let's keep ingredients healthy and simple. So this morning I baked a big sheet of granola.  Easy-breezy recipe, and when it cooled, I broke it up, rustic style.   Voil à : Coconut-Walnut Granola Ingredients: 3 cups Old Fashioned oats 1   cup coconut    1 cup  chopped walnuts (or peanuts, or pecans, or sliced almonds) ¼ cup flax seeds 1/3 cup brown sugar 3 tablespoons honey ¼ cup canola oil (or try peanut oil.) 2   teaspoons real vanilla extract ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips Optional:  ½  cup dried raisins or cranberries; a dash of cinnamin Directions: 1. On a cookie ...

Shannon (left) and Ashlee (right) at a beauty show * Lucky me!  At this year's International Spa and Beauty Conference, held in New York City over the weekend, I assisted with an exclusive bath and body line, made in Fresco, Texas, called Farmhouse Fresh .  And, I fell in love with their products – the clean ingredients, delicious fragrances and whimsical, reusable glass jars and jugs!  Plus, I spent two fabulous days with the nicest, hardest working Texan women [one by way of San Diego] you will ever meet.  Always straight-talkers, never once did anyone push a sale, or try to sway a customer to buy a moisturizer not right for her. But when beauty products are top-notch, word gets out! Launched over five years ago, and rapidly growing in popularity, the skin care line is sold at luxury spas across the country , including Saks Fifth Avenue, Red Mountain, the Ritz-Carltons and the Gaylord Resorts.  The fine grain skin scrubs, rich shea butters/massage creams ...

Colored denim isn't new.  I wore a pair of cardinal red and white striped jeans in the 7 th  grade.  But now they are designed for adults.  And nothing  screams  SPRING FEVER  like lots of bright colors.  It's a happy trend.  Comfortable too.  And when a look becomes popular, you will find it at every price point.  Choose your favorite color, or something floral, or patterned.  Unlike in the past, there's no set style or jean length.  Wear what suits you, whether it's low or mid rise, ankle or capris, skinny or boot-cut.  People come in all shapes and sizes, and fashion should reflect it. There's a radiant hue for every body, budget ... and personality.  Get in on a fun fad with these retailers: Citizens Of Humanity jeans 1.  American Eagle 2.  Citizens Of Humanity  - Must shop for them in stores. 3.  Forever 21 4.  J brand 5.  J.Crew 6.  L.K. Bennett  - a favorite of ...

Remember my dress?  I still love it. A few years ago, I had a bad experience at the dry cleaners.  Two cotton, black velvet blazers came back ruined and tinted red.  On another trip to a different dry cleaner, a coat was returned without any of its buttons.  (What the ?!?!)  I've also had fancy buttons crack, as a dry cleaner cleaned a blouse and a stiff hat returned misshaped and limp.  About this time, news reports raised concerns about the safety of the chemicals used in the dry cleaning process.  This lead me to take measures (as well as a few risks) in order to limit my need for dry cleaning.  Perhaps what I do will benefit you: 1. Stop buying clothes requiring dry cleaning in the first place.  Examine fabrics and read labels before the purchase.  Look for garments that can be washed and/or dried by you. 2. Wear tanks and camisoles under your dresses.  On sweaty days, you can wash the tank and spare your dress. 3. A source at a...

Cute and classy and smart: Jennifer Aniston Celebrities are in the business of looking glamorous.  One bad haircut, and it gets posted all over the internet, never to be completely forgotten.  With that kind of pressure, it's always fun to read articles on what the stars pay to keep their tresses looking camera ready at all times.  So BeautyRiot  did some digging, then crunched the numbers, on what 10 famous women pay when they visit their favorite hair salons.  Prepare yourself: It adds up to YIKES!   You probably use the same dollar amount to make a morgage or car payment. Source: BeautyRiot Kim Kardashian Salon Goodform Salon, LA Cost: $385 Services: $150 color, $150 cut, $85 blowout Katy Perry Salon: Rita Hazon, NY Cost: $425 Services: $300 double processed color, $125 cut Amy Adams Salon: Sally Hershberger Salon, LA  Cost: $500 Services: color, cut and style Emma Watson Salon: Cutler Soho, NY Cost: $500 Services: up to $300 highlights, $200 ...

This is the Easter card (by Marian Heath) I sent to my Mom.  Look at those beady eyes and wedged feet. Darling, right?  Easter is the oldest and most important festival on the Christian calendar, celebrating the belief that Jesus rose from the dead.  Christians believe that good can defeat evil, and eternal life will overcome death.  In a nutshell, humankind was liberated from sin and darkness and returned to grace.  (The word "sin" as used in the New Testament, is translated from the Classical Greek word,  " ἁμαρτία. "  It means  "to miss the mark.")   Like Passover,  Easter  is not a fixed holiday. It falls between March 22 and April 25 on the first Sunday after the first full moon, following the northern spring equinox. According to Bede, a Medieval sourcebook, the word "Easter" is Old English from German.  It stems from "Eastre," the name of a pagan spring and fertility goddess.  Rooted in Judaism, Easter marked the be...