I don’t really like breakfast cereal in general, but I heart granola big time. It’s just full of crunchy, oat-y, goodness. There are some problems (as is usually the case) with buying the prepackaged stuff, though. Lots of sugar and salt, just off the top of my head. Then there’s the issue of there never being a great combination of “extra ingredients” for me. Why can’t I have chocolate chips and almonds? Why can’t I have coconut and banana chips without hateful raisins and freeze-dried apple bits?
For a long time I put off learning how to make my own granola because it seemed like a pretty daunting task to take on. It seemed very complicated with all of the toasting, and stirring, and more stirring. Finally, I decided just to try it one time. Because if I was willing to pick all the raisins out of my bowl of granola, one by one, what’s the big deal with a little toasting and stirring?
As it turns out, it’s not that big of a deal at all. It’s actually kind of fun, and the aroma of oats and coconut and whatever other delicious tidbits you decide to add in smells amazing throughout the whole process. It’s well worth it, and this recipe makes a big enough batch to last you a while. It’s adapted (should I say, customized) from a recipe in The Awesomest Cook Book of all Time How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman. The best part is, you can add whatever you want — the sky’s the limit. You can even add raisins and freeze-dried apple bits if you want — I won’t hold it against you.
Homemade Granola
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Ingredients:
Preheat the oven to 300ºF. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, add the oats and rye and toast, stirring or tossing occasionally for 3 minutes or so. Add the nuts and seeds and toast for a couple more minutes. Add the coconut and cinnamon if using and toast another two minutes or so, until everything is fragrant, but don’t let it brown much.
Transfer everything to a large baking pan or cookie sheet. You want to be able to stir without most of it going overboard. Pour on the honey or maple syrup and stir to coat. Pop it in the oven and let it bake for 20 minutes or so, stirring once or twice. It will still be somewhat soft when you take it out. Leave the granola in the pan to cool on a rack and no, you’re not done stirring yet. If you’re adding dried fruit, you can stir it in as soon as you take it out of the oven, but I would wait until it’s almost cool to add any chocolate chips, because of the melting factor.
Only when it is completely cool are you done stirring. I know it sounds like a lot, but it cools off quickly, so from the time you put the granola into the oven to the time it’s ready to eat, you really only have to stir four or five times. Just tell yourself it’s exercise, so you can be doubly proud of yourself when it’s all done.
Clacked by Cate Cropp
on Aug 09, 2009 @ 10:00 EST5EDT
