great granola

The kitchen is fragrant with the smells of baking granola right now. Steve and the kids like to eat it as a bowl of cereal, I prefer it as a garnish on top of a bowl of yogurt and fruit, as an added treat to a bowl of muesli, or as a crumb topping for making muffins. One of the reasons that I like to make my own granola is because I can control the flavor and the sweetness; I also believe I save money by making my own.

Bear Naked Apple Cinnamon Granola is $4.85 for approximately 3 cups, Kashi Mountain Medley Granola is $4.56 for approximately 3.5 cups and my homemade version comes out at around $3.65 for 6 cups. Because I want less sugar in my granola it is admittedly less crunchy but we find it to be very flavorful and enjoy it a lot. Taste testings with friends and family shows that they like it too.

The most recent batch is apricot, raisin, walnut, cinnamon. The kids were very eager to "taste test" it as it came out of the oven, I had to fend them off with my mixing spoon so that it could cool properly.

Granola

preheat oven to 350F

3 T. honey

3 T. molasses

1/3 C. oil

4 C. rolled oats

1 C. nuts, chopped

1 C. dried fruit

1/4 C. flax seed, ground

1 t. vanilla

spices, optional (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, etc)

In a small pot on the stove mix honey, molasses and oil

Heat until just starting to bubble, stirring to mix well

Place oats in a large ovenproof dish

Pour liquid mixture over oats and stir well to coat evenly

Bake for 10 minutes

Remove from oven, stir well, add nuts and return to oven

Bake for 10 minutes

Remove from oven, stir well, add dried fruit and return to oven

Bake for 10 minutes

Remove from oven, stir well, add flax seeds, vanilla and any spices if desired

Let cool completely before storing in a container

Enjoy