If you’ve ever met me, it’s pretty clear, I am far from a Hippie. I am too square and tightly wound for that. Plus, I am a fan of things like showers, razors, and bras.
On the other hand, I do love a good batch of granola. And I have been known to make all my own jams and pickles. I also own a record collection filled with Janis Joplin, the Mammas and the Pappas, and Joni Mitchell. Oh, and we just planted our own fruit orchard in the backyard. Shoot, am I slowly becoming a hippie?! Someone will need to slap some sense into me if I ever start swapping my Manolos for Birkenstocks…
Whether you are a granola-eating hippie or not, this recipe is one to keep on hand. It makes a generous batch and your kitchen will smell heavenly as it toasts to perfection in the oven. You can swap out the almonds or raisins with other nuts or dried fruits as long as it is all in the same ratio. Sometimes I will do a bit of clove, ginger, cardamom, or nutmeg in place of some of the cinnamon to jazz things up a bit. In the end, have fun with it, relax, go with the flow, let the granola spirits guide you…
My Favorite Homemade Granola
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup instant nonfat dry milk solids
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups raisins
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large roasting pan combine oats, almonds, coconut, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, flour, dry milk, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
In a medium bowl whisk together oil, honey, vanilla, and salt. Pour the honey mixture over the oat mixture and stir well to combine, coating all ingredients. Spread the mixture out evenly in the roasting pan.
Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven and stir well. Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and stir in the raisins. Return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes. Check the granola after 5 minutes to make sure it isn’t beginning to burn. Give it one last stir, and continue baking a few more minutes until granola is fragrant and rich in color.
Remove from the oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking as it cools. When cooled, store in airtight containers. Makes about 6 cups.