So let's say you're me, and it's a Saturday, and you spent the previous day climbing a mountain and you ATE ALL YOUR GRANOLA and now you are OUT OF GRANOLA and when you're out-of-granola in the era of COVID-19, things are serious. Too serious. Granola is a staple and when you can't eat peanuts, tree nuts, etc. because you're allergic, you don't have a ton of granola options.
And then remember that granola is a source of protein for you as a human being. And you want it to taste good. And you don't want to spend like $8 for a locally made bag of granola? Or at least I don't. So. #GRANOLATIME.
Step 1: buy oats. In this case I used the extra thick cut Bob's Red Mill rolled oats. two cups.
Step 2: buy things to mix with oats. such as: pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds! you could also mix-in flax seeds, millet, chia seeds, flaked coconut, etc. 1 cup total between the seeds.
Step 3: mix steps 1 and 2 with something. In this case I used some Vermont Maple syrup. Not the thick stuff, the actual, real, very much less-viscous maple syrup. Roughly 2.5 tablespoons worth. Add some spices, in this case I used cinnamon and allspice.
Step 4: BAKE! Low and slow is my MO for granola, because I learned last time that if you bake at a higher temp/time you can, in fact, create overly dry granola. and then you eat it anyway, because you made it, but you feel a bit sad inside when you eat it. 275 deg F baked for 40 minutes with mixing the granola after the first 20 minutes.
Step 5: I forgot to take pictures after this buuuuut! Add in the mix-ins. I have been on a big fig kick lately so there’s chopped figs and cranberries in there. Chocolate chips would go super well too.
THIS TIME AROUND - SOOO GOOD. I would buy this granola.
saw this the other day bfx and will try the LOW-SLO mo this time. I've been making 15 cups of dry ingredients mixed with 3/4 cup of oil and 3/4 cup of honey, syrop, molasses, what have you. my dry ingredients include lots of nuts, because not allergic. Also 1 cup of bran, wheat germ, oat bran, to add to the oatmeal Add dried fruit later, after the baking, mix well: dried apricots, prunes, raisins, cranberries. I'll try figs/dates, chopped up small. it fills two cookie tins and seems to last and taste fresh till it's done -- maybe two months? not sure. Goes really well with homemade yogurt. I admit, though, that the nuts can be pricey -- .