Wednesday, July 28, 2010

We are Granola

If you are what you eat, we are granola.  We only recently began to eat a lot of it once we started making it ourselves.  And I think the only reason we started making it is because people were calling us "granola" and "modern day hippies" and the like and it seemed weird that while in many ways we aptly fit these descriptions, we did not in fact consume granola.  I had also been under the mistaken assumption that granola was somehow "bad" for you.  While being a high-calorie food, thanks to complex carbohydrates, honey, and nut fats, it's also chalk full of nutrients, protein, and fiber.  So the lesson here: moderation is key.

Well that's all been changed thanks to a wonderful foundation recipe that came in one of the Penzey Spice Catalogs.  The recipe has been used so many times there's oil blots on it.  It's very well loved.  And let me tell you: moderation is hard.  It's our morning staple cereal, and we top it off with yogurt and fresh berries if they're in a season.  Delicious.  But we also have a handful during the day if we need a pick me up.  Delicious.  Or as a little bedtime snack.  Delicious.  Frankly, it's hard not to eat it all the time.

This recipe is for a double batch.  Store half in the freezer.  Trust me--you'll need to make a double batch.  It goes that quickly.

  • 6 cups old-fashioned oats (not quick oats)
  • 2 cups oat bran
  • 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
  • 1/2 cup wheat germ
  • 2 cups nuts (almonds, sunflower seeds, pecans, cashews, etc.
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 6 Tbs. canola oil
  • 1 1/2 cups dried fruit (raisins, craisins, pineapple, apple, etc.)
First, mix together the oats, oat bran, flaxseed, wheat germ, and nuts in a large bowl.

Next, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Then take a small saucepan and combine the honey, water, sugar, vanilla, and oil.  Cook over low heat until it just begins to bubble.


Pour the honey over the oats and mix thoroughly, scraping up the bits and pieces from the bottom of the bowl.

Divide the mixture between two large jelly rolls pans and spread out evenly.  Baking for approximately 20-30 minutes (depending on how well you like it done--I like mine crunchy!).  Stir every 8-10 minutes while baking.

Let the oat mixture cool completely.  Once cooled, add in your dried fruit and store in refrigerator or freeze. 

I've adapted this recipe to suit whatever I have on hand.  I love to add cinnamon to it.  I added steel cut oats (about 2 of the 6 cups) when I mistakenly bought them one time and then had no idea what to do with them.  And I even have put in quick oats on occasion when I'm just a bit short (gasp!).  And that's what I love about this recipe--it's versatility.  And if it means that we--like the granola that we eat--are versatile, I'm flattered.

2 comments:

  1. I love making granola but my recipe was so boring-I'm excited now to try yours! (minus the nuts, of course!)

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  2. So you don't use the Melby family recipe as your foundation, huh? My earliest memories are stirred up with that granola. Through college, grad school, and...whatever this current stage is, there is always our homemade granola - a 'single batch' begins with 18 cups of oats, or a mix of flaked grains (and I still use that much since we eat loads of the stuff, with homemade full-fat yogurt, yum). This recipe is similar though: the flax is a great addition and one that I have also substituted (the original calls for wheat germ); dried coconut is in the original recipe (just to raise the fat calories a bit more!), as well as pumpkin seeds and 4-5 different nuts; no water (seems odd to add water), but a combination of honey, butter, and safflower oil (I have since dropped the oil altogether and made our U.K. version a 50/50 combination of honey and golden syrup, which was originally a money-saving action, but we found it actually had a better flavor and crunchiness). All the whole grains and fats (counter-intuitive, but low fat isn't always best for lowering body fat) are ideal for a healthy, fit life-style. Everyone should build their diet on the foundation of this granola!

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