I’d been paying too much for granola. Organic, yes, but expensive, too. $8.50 a pound, locally made. Armed with a little information, I knew I could make granola just as tasty for much less money.
I started with an experimental batch, in which I just made up amounts and threw some of this and some of that in. It was overcooked, but even my fussy son ate it. So, I checked out this Serious Eats post and slideshow on making granola, and my two batches since then have been superb. If you want to experiment, I highly recommend their slideshow.
This was the recipe for my latest version:
- 2 3/4 cups oats
- 1/2 cup oat bran
- 1/8 cup millet (it’s really crunchy, so don’t overdo it; 1/4 cup was too much)
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 3/4 cup shredded coconut
- 5/8 cup chopped almonds and hazelnuts
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- enough cinnamon to cover the top of all the dry ingredients
- a few shakes of dry ginger
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
Mix all the dry ingredients in a big mixing bowl. Add the wet ingredients. Spread the mixture on a cookie sheet with a lip (I haven’t greased it, and it only stuck the time I overcooked.). Bake at 300°F for 50 minutes, scrambling every 10 minutes with a spatula (get everything off the bottom of the pan and re-spread). When you take the pan out, the granola won’t be crispy yet, but it will be once it’s cool. Serve with last year’s blueberries from the freezer and some plain yogurt. Mmmm.
I don’t recommend flax seeds in the mix; they have a pretty strong taste. This is why I haven’t used olive oil either, but that might be fine. I don’t know what the price per pound of this granola is, but almonds, at $6/pound, are my most expensive ingredient. So this costs me far less than when I bought granola.
Enjoy.
