Granola is a whole grain treat. Whether you enjoy granola as a stand-alone breakfast cereal, sprinkle it over yogurt or ice cream, or modify it into a hearty trail mix, granola is delicious.
There are countless reasons to make homemade granola. For starters, it's much less expensive than most commercial granola. Moreover, homemade granola is absent of the saturated fats that plague many store bought granolas. And homemade granola in a decorative jar or tin is a thoughtful edible gift.
Granola is easy to make with a few basic guidelines. Feel free to experiment and substitute within the following framework. The addition of a few favorite ingredients will have you turning out batches of granola uniquely suited to your personal taste. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup wheat bran
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (or any nut of your choosing, a personalization opportunity)
1/4 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons flax seeds
1/2 cup dried fruit (more if desired. Use a single dried fruit or a mixture, experiment)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup filtered water or brewed green tea
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons oil (something light and flavorless such as canola)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients except for the dried fruit. You will probably have to use your hands to combine the mixture thoroughly. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan combine vanilla, water, honey, molasses and oil. Gently heat the wet ingredients until they reach a light simmer.
Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon or mix with your hands until the syrup coats all the dry ingredients.
Divide the granola between lightly greased cookie sheets. Squeeze small handfuls of the cereal together to form small clusters. Toast granola in the preheated oven for 1 hour or more.
Gently but thoroughly stir the ingredients every 15 minutes. Turn the mixture completely over to avoid burning on the bottom. Try not to break up the clusters. After about 30 minutes, stir in the dried fruit. Continue to cook and stir. Watch the fruit; you want it to dry out enough to keep the cereal from turning soggy. Your goal is to cook the granola until it is a beautiful golden brown color.
Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and allow the granola to sit for about 1 hour, or until it has cooled completely. Pack the cereal into airtight containers. Delicious!
Makes 2 quarts
Do not refrigerate
Will keep for up to 4 weeks if stored in airtight containers