Homemade Granola

Making your own granola puts you in full charge of what goes into it. The nutritional powerhouse list in this recipe can be altered however you want. Some people may want to add things like chia seeds, hemp seeds, oat bran, millet, lecithin granules or cacao nibs. As long as the general ratio of dry to wet ingredients is about the same you can leave out or substitute ingredients. 

Granola is a great way to get your family to ingest not only more fiber in their diet but the abundance of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids found in these grains, nuts and seeds.

HOMEMADE GRANOLA

6 - 8 cups rolled oats 

(alternative or addition to oats can be rolled rye, spelt, kamut, wheat or barley)

2 cups shredded coconut

(I use unsweetened coconut but that is a personal decision)

1 cup wheat germ

(I use raw wheat germ but you can use toasted wheat germ)

1 cup ground flax seeds

(Whole flax seeds tend to pass right through the body so better to grind them or purchase them already ground. Once they're ground they oxidize so you'll find them in the refrigerated section of the store)

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup hulled sunflower seeds

(I use roasted unsalted sunflower seeds but you can get them raw or salted)

1 cup pumpkin seeds

(I use roasted unsalted pepita seeds but you can get them raw or salted) 

1 cup hulled or unhulled sesame seeds

1 cup roasted soybeans

1 cup dried apple pieces

1 - 2 cups raisins (don't add raisins until after granola is baked)

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup honey

2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine oil and honey in a saucepan and heat till blended but don't let boil

Add vanilla extract

Stir wet ingredients into the dry ingredients till everything is coated with the honey/oil blend

Grease two large greased baking sheets 

(the type with edges makes stirring easier without making a mess)

(stoneware pans work very nicely)

Bake in a 250 degree oven 20 minutes, stir (edges bake faster so blend into center)

Bake another 20 minutes till developing a light toasted look to it, don't overbake or the mix will be too crunchy and dry once it cools.

Cool on sheets and then add the raisins

Store in an airtight container

Granola can be eaten in a number of ways:

As a cereal with milk

Sprinkle on top of yogurt

Make homemade granola bars

Eat dry as a trail mix type snack

Substitute for rolled oats in a cookie recipe