Homemade Granola

Years ago I started experimenting with making homemade granola in an attempt to find a healthy and much less sweeter version of store bought granola. What I love about my granola recipe is that it is very forgiving in that you can substitute whatever favorite oils, nuts, seeds, sweeteners and dried fruits you prefer. When I first started making homemade granola I used a good basic non-flavored oil such as canola oil. Today, I really enjoy experimenting with extra virgin coconut oil, a new favorite good fat in place of canola oil (but either oil will work).

Sweeteners in my granola have also varied over the years (depending on what I had on hand) and the granola still comes out tasting great. For example, light brown sugar and honey are still the classic sweeteners I use (in addition to sweetened coconut flakes) in my homemade granola. New favorite sweeteners that can be substituted in granola that I have personally enjoyed are, coconut sugar in place of brown sugar and light Agave syrup in place of honey or a combination of several sweeteners - just don't use any artificial sweeteners. Be sure to watch your recipe portions when using a combo of all three sweeteners so as not to make your granola too sweet since, the point to making homemade granola is to customize the ingredients and to control how sweet you make it. Less is definitely more when it comes to using any of these sweeteners in homemade granola. 

This same forgiving recipe concept applies to your choice of nuts, seeds and dried fruits - just use your favorites or whatever you have on hand when making granola. If you prefer lots of dried fruits like raisins, cranberries and apricots in your homemade granola then cut down on the amount of sweeteners you use to balance out the taste.

Here's the basic recipe for my Notoriously Nutty Grantor's Granola (a/k/a LegalEats Granola). This recipe, which I tweaked over the years, was originally inspired from the freshly made granola I tasted years ago for breakfast (served in a parfait with Greek yogurt), at a lovely seaside resort overlooking the Pacific near Santa Barbara, CA. Enjoy!

bacara.jpg

LegalEats Granola

Ingredients

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup each shredded coconut, unsalted sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, wheat germ or wheat bran, slivered almonds, chopped walnuts and pecans
  • 1/2 cup canola oil or extra virgin coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup unpasteurized honey or organic light Agave syrup
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried orange peel spice or grated zest of 1 orange
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries 
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)
  • 1/2 cup dried chopped apricots (optional)

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. 
  • In a large bowl combine rolled oats, coconut flakes, sunflower seeds, wheat bran or wheat germ (optional), and all other seeds and nuts you prefer. Set aside.
  • Combine oil, honey, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, dried orange peel spice or freshly grated orange zest and salt in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until sugar dissolves. Be careful not to burn sugar by mixing often while heating ingredients. 
  • Pour dissolved sugar/honey mixture over dry ingredients in large bowl and toss well to coat.
  • Spread mixture evenly and flat on the lined oiled baking sheet.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven and let granola cool completely in baking sheet (at least 1 hour) before removing from baking sheet (to let granola firm up - pun intended)!
  • Remove granola from baking sheet by breaking it up into pieces. Return granola to large bowl and mix well with assorted dried fruits. Do not bake granola with dried fruits.
  • Cool completely and store in your favorite airtight containers or glass mason jars for up to 2 weeks.

 

Comments: Enjoy homemade granola with Greek yogurt with fresh fruit as a breakfast parfait or serve in a bowl with almond milk or sprinkle over vanilla ice cream!