Granola
CATEGORIES
INGREDIENTS
- Cooking Time: 20-25 min
- Servings: Lots!
- Preparation Time: 5 min
- 2 ½ cups Quick Cooking Oatmeal
- 1 cup Sweetened Shredded Coconut (or Unsweetened for healthier alternative)
- 1/3 cup Untoasted Sunflower Seeds
- ¼ cup Hulled Sesame Seed
- 4 tbs Unsalted Margarine/Butter (if using Salted Butter do not add the salt below)
- ¼ cup (Packed) Dark Brown Sugar
- ¼ cup Honey
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ Toasted Wheat Germ (if using Raw Wheat Germ either toast first for 10 min or add halfway through toasting dry ingredients)
- ½ cup Raisins
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees
- Spread oatmeal, coconut, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds in a large, lightly buttered roasting pan or ovenproof dish (about 11x17 inches works best although smaller pans will do). Bake for about 20 minutes, tossing several times
- Meanwhile, combine in a small saucepan the margarine, brown sugar, honey, and salt and bring to a simmer, stirring. Add the vanilla off the heat.
- Reset the over to 350 degrees, then add the wheat germ to the toasted mixture. Dribble the sugar-honey syrup over the granola, tossing with a fork to coat the dry mixture evenly.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for 5 or 6 minutes longer. Add the raisins, toss to distribute, and press the granola down firmly into an even layer. Bake 5 minutes or so longer, or until the granola is golden.
- Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Slip a flexible spatula under the granola to break it into large pieces. Let cool completely and store airtight.
RECIPE BACKSTORY
A granola for granola lovers, who, from the proliferation of brands available, must be increasing in their ranks at a frightening rate. This is a toasty, baked version, because we don’t happen to like raw cereals. By all means, don’t stop at this if you’re a granola fiend; experiment with all manner of nuts, seeds and spices, keeping roughly to these proportions. Have granola with milk or on yogurt or use it to bake Granola Cookies.