I’m a bargain shopper, always looking for ways to keep some of my hard-earned money in my pocket. So, granola doesn’t usually end up in my cart, one because of the price averaging 4-6$ a lb, and, because it usually contains enough fat and sugar to bring on the guilt. But I remember my niece talking about making granola and thought, “one of these days” I’m going to do this. Well, yesterday was the day, and I rummaged the pantry for stock staples that I could use.
The nice thing is the versatility of the mixture, really once you have a base of oats, you can add whatever raw nuts, spices, seeds, perhaps some dried fruits and toast them together for a homemade version that is controlled to your liking in both fat and sweetness. While a lot of brands use fruit juice, rice syrup or the like to sweeten, I opted for what I had on hand.
EASY HOMEMADE GRANOLA (Makes about 3 Cups)
- 1 1/2 Cups Rolled Oatmeal
- 1/4 Cup Quinoa
- 1/4 unsweetened Coconut Flakes
- 1/4 Cup Raw Pumpkin Seeds
- 1/4 Cup Raw Sunflower Seeds
- 2 Tablespoons Freshly Ground Flax Seeds
- 1 Tablespoon Chia Seeds
- 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup
- 1 Tablespoon Honey (or your preferred sweetener)
I combined all of the ingredients (except the honey) in a large bowl and stirred to distribute the syrup. Then I spread the mixture onto a large cookie sheet lined with a silicon pad (or parchment paper). Bake the mixture in a preheated oven at 350 for 10 minutes, stir and drizzle with the honey. Return to the oven and bake about 7-8 minutes more, just until the coconut and oats begin to get golden brown. Be careful not to burn, once it starts browning it can go quickly. It will “crunch up” a bit as it cools. Remove and cool, then store in a air-tight container. Sprinkle over your oatmeal for crunch, non-dairy yogurt or eat plain with your favorite nut milk.
Cooking For All Appetites 