It’s back to school time and a jumbo batch of granola just came out of the oven. Since I last posted a granola recipe here (13 years ago!) I have made some important changes to the recipe. I have stopped adding oil or any kind of sweetener such as honey or maple syrup to my granola. The nuts and seeds contain plenty of healthy oil in whole food form. All the sweet we need comes from fresh chopped fruit which we stir into our bowl when we eat.
Were I in India I’d be at Jantar Mantar, were I a youth I’d have been there all month and were I still a practicing librarian I’d love to make a video like the LA Public library did about 6/7 but about “Vaste Guna Huiya” which appears on protests signs and in short videos students have posted, notably during police interactions. In those videos, it seems a way to ask the police “what are you even doing here?” but using a meaningless phrase to convey the nonsensical nature of police / state intimidating and attacking youth.
Those who defend the library defend humanity. The students’ movement in India is taking on the education minister … do they stand a chance? Police came after their books – they took a beating but remain standing. Read on …
Father’s Day: The Visibility Brigade protests outside Delaney Hall to free fathers detained at the ICE detention facility in Newark. Read full article and see more photos at nj.com
Delaney Hall sounds like a campus building and was once an addiction rehabilitation center but since February 2025 has been a for-profit prison where ICE has contracted with GEO Group to detain immigrants.
So … I am pedaling the elliptical in the senior fitness center when two elderly gentleman at the weight training station start trading smoothie recipes. I blink to double check if I am awake. While I am a senior citizen I am young enough that I get carded. For years I could not wait to be 55 all because of two words: Free Gym.
When this 1 year old baby complimented my banana power muffins, sweetened with only banana, I was on cloud 9. Her Mama was so pleased that she shared this photo with me and asked for the recipe. Banana muffins allow for endless variety such that I barely follow a recipe, but prompted by this adorable child, I am writing down what went into this batch before I forget.
Ada Bennett enjoys banana power muffin. Photo courtesy Abbie Bennet.
I may swap in applesauce for one or more bananas, milk or yogurt in place of the water, throw in some peanut butter … every time it’s a different combination. Nuts, seeds, berries, raisins, orange rind, lemon zest – so many options to stir in you can make it every week and never repeat for years! Though I used to use honey or maple syrup or date sugar, these days I have been able to skip all of these and sweeten these treats with ripe banana alone. And even add wheat germ – hence the name power muffins!
Send your questions on health, hygiene, learning, discipline, sleep, sanity, serendipity, chaos and any other aspect of parenting, real or imaginary to askammanow@gmail.com
Heat dome’s got Amma inside, online and glued to the students’ action in India. Which led to this piece on “the trouble with libraries.” 
Ask Amma 