Tag: granola

Two Easy Granola Recipes

These are two of my favorites.  I always have some type of granola in the house for a quick nutritious breakfast or an easy pie or cobbler topping.  With the price commercial cereals it really is more cost effective to make your own, and then you know exactly what’s in it — all your favorites!
Both of these recipes are very adaptable.  I’ve been trying to avoid wheat, so I don’t use the wheat germ or bran, but double up on one or two of the other ingredients or simply omit them. Granola #2 (low-fat) is perfect for the dehydrator instead of baking; 105 degrees for 4 – 6 hours, or until dry. (I haven’t experimented with Granola #1 in the dehydrator yet)
Granola #1
3 c. rolled oats                                                1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 c. coconut                                                     1/2 c. honey
1 c. chopped nuts
1 1/2 c. wheat germ
1/2 c. toasted sesame seed
1/2 c. raw sunflower seeds (unsalted)
Toast oatmeal 10 minutes @ 250 degrees.
Add other ingredients (I use a large oblong cake pan to do all this).
Blend together honey and oil, and pour this mixture on top of everything in cake pan.  Stir well to coat.
Spread out mixture and bake @ 300 degrees for about 30 minutes stirring every 10 minutes.
Cool and add any dried fruit you like (raisins, cranberries, blueberries, etc.)
Granola #2
In a large bowl combine:
4 – 5 c. rolled oats
3/4 c. wheat bran
1/2 c. bran or bran flakes (optional)
1/2 c. sesame seeds
3/4 c. coconut
3/4 c. raw sunflower seeds
1/2 c. slivered almonds
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
3/4 c. flax seeds (ground or not)
In a separate bowl mix together:
1/3 c. raw, unfiltered honey
2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. fresh apple juice
Pour liquid over dry ingredients, stir to distribute evenly.
Spray oblong cake pan with PAM. Pour entire mixture into pan and bake @ 300 degrees for 30 – 45 minutes, stirring every 10 – 15 minutes.
Cool.  Add any chopped dried fruit.  Store in airtight container.
Enjoy!

No-Bake Granola Bars

I have been on a search for a good granola bar recipe for a long time.  They are nice to have on hand for lunches or a quick grab-and go breakfast or snack.  The price of granola and power bars in the supermarket is just going through the roof, and I refuse to pay so much for something I know is just a compilation of the ingredients I already have in my own kitchen.  Also, I like to know exactly what goes into the food I am eating, prefer organic, and cringe to read the long list of unidentifiable ingredients in most packaged products in the grocery store.

This recipe makes 12 – 16 good size bars.  They can be individually frozen or dehydrated if you prefer a crisper granola bar (I have found that dehydrating them is more successful if they are sliced thinner, so you will have more, but smaller, granola bars).  The recipe is very adaptable so feel free to experiment*.

Ingredients:

4 c. Old Fashioned rolled oats

1 c. raw sunflower seeds

1/2 c. chopped dates

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/3 c. raw honey

1/2 c. almond or cashew butter

1/2 c. almonds or cashews, chopped

2 Tbsp. tahini

juice of one fresh orange

In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients.  In a smaller bowl blend together nut butter, tahini, raw honey, and fresh orange juice; pour over dry ingredients and stir well to mix until it starts to hold together almost like cookie dough.

Press mixture into an oiled 8″x8″ pan and refrigerate overnight.  Cut into bars, individually wrap, and enjoy.  (May be frozen or dehydrated after cutting).

*You can play with these ingredients by substituting pumpkin or flax seed for half the sunflower seeds, use a different type nut, add some dried berries in place of half the nuts, etc.  It will still make a delicious granola bar, so be creative!