Homemade Granola

Sunday, September 20, 2009

One of my newest culinary chores is to make granola. When I think about the ingredients in Chloe's Rice Krispies that they add to keep it fresh and think about the energy it takes to get that cereal box into my home, it drives me nuts! To think they have to pick the rice, ship it, make it into a cereal, box it up, ship to distribution center, then on a truck, then to my grocery store, then to the shelf, then to my shopping basket, then home....my gosh that's a lot of energy for something we can make ourselves without the preservatives. It takes less than 20 minutes to get in the oven and then your house will smell like honey and brown sugar, yum!

The recipe below has what it calls for but I wing it when I can't find or have all the ingredients on hand. I haven't found millet, oat bran or pumpkin seeds but this is fabulous without it and I can't imagine how great it is when I have these on hand. This recipe freezes well and is great as a gift.

Granola (San Juan cookbook)

7 c. steel cut oats, I use old fashioned but you can use quick, old fashioned are bigger and nicer
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. light olive oil, you can use grape seed
1/2 t. sea salt
1/2 c. whole almonds
1/2 c. whole pecans, I use Dara Bigger's from Marion that she gave me from her pecan tree
1/2 c. whole walnuts, I never have these
1/2 c. cashews, I never have these either
1/2 c. pepitas, raw pumpkin seeds, I can't find these
1/2 c. sesame seeds
1/2 c. flax seed meal, in the flour isle by the organic
1/2 c. millet, I can't find this
1/2 c. oat bran, I can't find this either
1/2 c. unsweetened coconut, I never have this
1/2 c. raw sunflower seeds, I use regular, salted sunflower seeds
3/4 c. honey
1 T. vanilla extract, I use my homemade vanilla
2 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Stir all ingredients in a large bowl, season to taste. You'll want to have some clumps remaining. Spread onto two large baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake 30 minutes, stirring once, until lightly toasted, I usually go 35 minutes, but be careful not to burn as I have once. Remove from oven and let cool on sheets, stirring periodically. When completely cool, store in airtight containers.

This is fabulous with yogurt, fresh fruit or simply with milk. It's so easy to make and has none of those preservatives.