My Favorite Homemade Granola ~

Alright, get ready for a bunch of ingredients.  But, the task of finding everything is offset be the ease of making the granola.  Don’t fret.  You’ll need: rolled oats, wheat germ, ribbon coconut, sesame seeds, vanilla, sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, canola oil, honey, and any granola additions (craisins, raisins, dried fruit, chocolate chunks, etc.).

The average grocery store may not have some of the ingredients, but I found almost everything I needed either at Harmon’s Grocery or Kitchen Kneads (for my fellow Utahns.)  I would imagine that a Whole Foods or similar store would carry all of the ingredients, as well.  Ribbon coconut, I just learned, is basically large shaved pieces of coconut…in case you were wondering too.

Mix 6 cups oats, 1/2 cup wheat germ, 2 cups ribbon coconut, 1/4 cup sesame seeds, 1 cup sliced almonds, and 1/2 cup sunflower seeds together in a large bowl.

Pour 1/2 cup canola oil and 1 cup honey over the mixture and stir well.

Spread on greased (sprayed) sheet pan and bake at 300 for 45 minutes, or until mixture turns a golden brown…not too golden, but golden.  (I have two pans because I doubled the recipe.  So, one recipe will fill up one large sheet pan.)

Pull the pan out of the oven, and drizzle 2 TBS of vanilla over the top, and mix in whatever addition you want (raisins, craisins, chocolate chunks, dried fruit, whateva.)  Carefully, toss the mixture around with a spoon.  Place back in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes.

Dump the granola into a bowl and drizzle an additional 1/2 cup of honey over the mixture, and stir.  Let cool and serve with fresh fruit, in yogurt, or as cereal with milk.

Store in an air-tight container.  Granola can usually store in the fridge for a few months, and in the freezer for about 6 months.

The Best of Granolas
courtesy of Sue Borchart

Print

My Favorite Homemade Granola

Ingredients

• 6 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup to 1 cup wheat germ
• 2 cups ribbon coconut
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1 cup nuts I use sliced almonds. But, you could use walnuts, cashew, or pecans.
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 Tablespoons vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup honey
• Optional Additions: craisins raisins, any dry fruit, chocolate chunks, cinnamon, nutmeg, almond extract.

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Mix the oats, wheat germ, coconut, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and nuts in a large bowl.
3. Pour the oil and 1 cup of the honey over the mixture and stir (saving the remaining 1/2 cup for later.)
4. Spray/Grease a large sheet pan. Spread the granola mixture on the pan and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the mixture looks a golden color.
5. Remove from the oven and drizzle the vanilla on top and add any additions you want (such as dried fruit).
6. Carefully stir the mixture in the pan, and place back in the oven for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
7. Remove from oven, and dump in a large bowl, drizzle the additional 1/2 cup of honey over the mixture and let cool.

Recipe Notes

Serve as a cereal with milk, in yogurt, or with fresh fruit. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 months or the freezer for up to 6 months.