I have always loved granola, or at least some granola, but I have never found the perfect kind that had everything I wanted in it... until I found out how easy it is to make!Basically you grab a box of oats, about a cup of brown sugar, the nuts and seeds of your choice, coconut if you like it, any other grains you may like (amaranth, puffed rice, or other cereals) and get them all mixed up in a steep-sided big bowl. In another smaller bowl I mix up molasses, honey, maple syrup or other syrups (usually 1/4 to 1/2 cup each type, enough to coat the cereal) and 1/4 cup oil. When each bowl is ready I combine the two, then drop the mix onto parchment-lined pans and put them in a 250-degree oven for an hour, stirring it up every 15 minutes to make sure it is evenly browned. When done, pull it out and carefully (I use the parchment to lift it up and funnel it) into the big bowl. You now add the fruit portion (raisins, berries, dried fruit chunks) and mix again. If you want "melty" candy bits, you add them now (this makes a snack granola as opposed to a breakfast one as it makes bigger chunks). Once you have mixed it again, let it cool back on the sheet pans. If you want un-melted chips (carob, chocolate, caramel, white chocolate, butterscotch, etc) add them once your mix is COMPLETELY cool.
I made some berry-mango-crunch and some butterscotch-berry granola a few days ago:
I am currently making a batch for a friend. The first picture is the oats, 7 grain cereal and flaked coconut with brown sugar, then the next is with the addition of the syrups and oil, which in this case are molasses, ginger syrup, maple syrup & honey and my chosen oil, grapeseed.
Once done, this batch will get mixed jumbo raisins, dried blueberries & cranberries. My friend is trying to lose weight, and this mix is filling, while not being too heavy in calories if eaten in moderation. The fruits are high in antioxidants and add such pretty color!
And all done it looks like this:
You know you want a bite!
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