Like many dishes, I prefer to make granola myself. There are several reasons for this, but my choice in ingredients is the first. This almost always beats store-bought, as the end-product has been minimally processed. Fortunately, most of these ingredients keep for a long time, so if you have the fortune to find a preferred ingredient on sale, stock up.
If you must buy packaged cereal, buy organic. Everything else is GMO, is made almost entirely from corn, and contains way too much sugar. It may look cheaper now, but the cost adds up at the hospital with Diabetes, ADHD, or a multitude of other "disorders" we are just discovering and naming.
The following recipe is a combination of Molly Katzen's "Moosewood Cookbook" recipe and "The Joy of Cooking" recipe, as well as personal preference.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 30-40 minutes (depending on taste)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the following ingredients:
6 c. rolled oats
2 c. nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, or whatever you prefer)
1/2 c. hulled sunflower or pumpkin seeds (I added a handful of flax seed as well)
In a small saucepan, dissolve the following ingredients over low heat for a little less than 5 minutes:
1/4 c. olive oil
1/2 c. honey
1 T vanilla extract
1 t. salt
1 t. ground cinnamon (optional)
Pour the syrup mixture over the oat/nut mixture and mix until evenly coated. Distribute the raw mixture on to an ungreased baking pan (I find that it cooks a little faster and dryer when using glass pans). The mixture should stand about 1/2" high for even baking. Put the pan in the oven. Stir after 20 minutes, and continue to do so after it is pulled from the oven until it is cool in order to prevent clumping.
TIPS:
Upon removing from the oven, the mixture might still be a little sticky. This will dry as it cools.
-Buy organic. If you keep an eye out for sale items, you can often get organic at the same price or cheaper than non-organic. I got my vanilla, walnuts and flax seeds organic because they were on sale. I also saved my pumpkin and squash seeds from the previous season on the farm, so they were an added bonus. I made about three medium cereal boxes worth for about $10.
-Stock up. These ingredients last a long time without refrigeration.
-Use less honey for less sugar, or substitute out a little maple syrup for a different taste.
Good luck! To compliment, there will soon be a post on homemade yogurt!
