Admittedly, one of the adjectives used to describe me growing up was “granola” and sometimes I took offense. I suppose I’ve always had a “natural” sense about me and now that I’m older and wiser {wink, wink} I can take it as a compliment, especially when compared to the alternative. Natural food, natural remedies, a natural lifestyle….all sounds good to me! With all my “naturalness”, immersing myself in the kitchen grounds me and helps me unwind or even disconnect from the heavier responsibilities of being a grown up and not to mention Mama. So combine my “granola-ness” with natural foods and I’m bound to come up with a yummy recipe for granola cereal. Its a staple to have in the cupboard: easy, fast, inexpensive and versatile. This recipe is loose so feel free to add optional ingredients to suit your taste buds, not everyone likes raisins so substitute dried cherries and yum! Most ingredients you will already have on hand and just be sure to store end product in an airtight container {recycled jar or dare I say Ziploc bag!} so the freshness lasts longer. My family munches on granola for breakfast, after school or late night snack: try it on yogurt, with milk, as an ice cream topping, with fruit and drizzle of raw honey or simply by itself. Have fun and be creative!
GRANOLA GOODNESS
2 cups organic rolled oats {NOT quick oats}
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pine nuts {optional}
1/4 cup flax seed
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup coconut flakes {coarse style not shredded}
a couple dashes of cinnamon
2 TBSP canola oil
1/2 cup maple syrup or raw honey
1/4 cup dried raisins or cranberries or other dried fruit
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine all dry ingredients, except the dried fruit, in a large bowl.
- Combine the sweetener and canola oil in another bowl, mix well.
- Toss sweetener mixture with dry ingredients until well combined. Spread evenly onto sheet pan.
- Bake 20-30 minutes or until golden brown {when it begins to smell really delicious, your just about there!}. Be sure to check and stir often so granola cooks evenly and doesn’t burn {I check every 5-10 minutes}.
- Remove from oven and add dried fruit directly to granola on sheet pan. Cool completely and store in jar/bag.
