Simple Homemade Granola

Today, I bring you a super easy way to make granola.  No fancy ingredients, just use what you have on hand.  I will give you the granola ratio and you add what you like.  Easy peasy!

Homemade granola is a great way to sweeten up your yogurt or stay away from the "icky" stuff that's usually added to the granola bought from the store.  

 

Simple Homemade Granola

4 cups oats (old fashioned, not quick cooking)

2 cups nuts/seeds/coconut

1 cup dried fruit (or choc chips, candies, etc)

1/2 tsp salt

 

1/2 cup liquid sweetener (I used agave...you can use honey, maple syrup, etc)

2 tbsp oil (I used sunflower oil, but coconut oil, canola, vegetable, etc works too)

 

Turn your oven to 325F and get out a couple rimmed cookie sheets or casserole dishes.  I used cookie sheets, but think I will go with the casserole dishes next time because the edges of my granola got a bit more toasted than I would have liked.  Your choice, just keep a close eye with the cookie sheets.

 

 

Since the above recipe is simply the ratio for your granola, use whatever you have on hand.  

For my 4 cups of oats, I used 3 cups old fashioned oats and 3/4 cup 6 grain cereal and 1/4 cup flax meal I found in the cabinet (it's amazing what is hidden in the dark recesses of those cabinets).  I also used agave and sunflower oil for my sweetener/oil mix.  I then added 1/2 cup dried banana chips that I bought a century ago and for some reason were never eaten and 1 cup of craisens (yes, this equals 1 1/2 cups for the dried fruit add in, but I like lots of dried fruit...see how adaptable this recipe is?!).

 

Take your sweetener and oil and put it on low heat until it boils.  I have seen some recipes that skip this step and have you just pour it over the oats, but I'm always afraid the oil and sweetener won't be mixed well and some of the oats will be oily and others sweet (this probably wouldn't happen, I'm just weird this way!). 

 

Mix your oats and seeds together.

 

Add the sweetener/oil mix to the oats and seeds.  Mix well until all the oats are coated evenly.

Add the fruit and mix.

 

Spread the granola on your baking sheets (or casserole dishes).  Bake at 325F for about 30 min.  Check the granola every 10 min and stir.  When the granola becomes golden, it's done.  Be careful to not overcook the granola.  It goes from golden to burnt in a matter of seconds.  Just check and stir every 10 min and then towards the end, keep peeking until it's the color you want it.  Remove from the oven and let it cool.  It's ok if it isn't crunchy when you take it out...it will crunch up as it cools.

 

 

Top your yogurt with your homemade granola, eat it with milk like cereal, or however you normally eat granola!  A great way to save money and eat healthier!  Enjoy!

 

 

Happily Homemade

Sandra