homemade granola

granola is one of the easiest recipes that i make regularly. it also uses minimal dishes (two bowl and a cookie sheet) and has a quick prep time. i've been working off the same basic recipe for awhile, but i often mix up the ingredients based on what i have. this recipe for homemade granola with a hint of maple is my favorite, chock full of nuts, oats and seeds.

start off by measuring the oil, then the syrup into a bowl. oil first is important because it leaves a coating in the measuring cup that helps release the sticky maple syrup.

mix your dry ingredients- oats, nuts, and any large sized seeds like pepitas- in a larger bowl. 

add any smaller or more fine dry ingredients (wheat germ, spices, and sesame seeds) to your oil and syrup mixture.

i have found that coating them completely in the liquid helps them adhere to the oats and nuts better than if they are mixed with the other dry ingredients.

pour the liquid into the bowl of nuts and oats and stir for about 30 seconds or until everything looks evenly coated.

spread it out on a cookie sheet (lined with parchment) and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

after 15 minutes, give everything a stir and then spread it out evenly again. 

sprinkle dried coconut over the top. 

and return to the oven for an extra 15-20 minutes until it starts to brown.

while this is a pretty loose granola, there will be more clumps if you let it cool a bit first before storing. 

once it cools, you can store it in a tightly sealed container. sprinkle it on top of yogurt and fruit for a homemade parfait.

inspiration from Mark Bittman's granola

homemade granola with nuts and maple syrup
makes about 6 cups of granola

ingredients:

3 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups mixed nuts, chopped (i used half pecans, half almonds)
1/4 cup pepitas
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
a pinch of salt

1/2 cup dried coconut flakes (unsweetened)

directions:

1.   preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. mix the oats, nuts and pepitas in a large bowl and set aside.

2.   mix the oil and maple syrup (or honey) in a small bowl. add the sesame seeds, wheat germ and spices, and mix until they are combined.

3.   add this liquid mixture to the dry ingredients you set aside, and mix for about 30 seconds or until everything looks evenly coated.

4.   spread your granola mixture out evenly on a parchment lined cookie sheet. bake for 15 minutes.

5.   remove granola from oven, give it a stir, and then sprinkle evenly with dried coconut flakes. return to the oven for an additional 15-20 minutes until the granola looks toasted and the coconut is lightly browned. let cool completely and store in an airtight container.


notes:

- i prefer to eat my granola with fresh or lightly cooked fruit. but if desired, you can certainly add dried fruit to yours after it has cooled completely.

- i used half almonds, half pecans here because that was what i had. i routinely use cashews (a personal favorite), peanuts, and walnuts too.

-measurements for this recipe are very forgiving. if you are missing an ingredient you can most likely just sub something else in your pantry as long as your liquid and dry ingredients are in a similar proportion.

- in the parfait pictures above, i cooked up some apple chunks with cinnamon, allspice and a little water in a skillet until they softened.