homemade granola

Yum. Seriously. This is what I have been munching on for breakfast recently. I adapted this recipe from The Kitchen Sink Recipes where you will find many more delicious treats.

3 1/2 cups of oats

1/4 cup of sweetener (I have used brown sugar, organic cane sugar, molasses, maple syrup and/or honey)

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil (don’t be grossed out – it’s good for you and your granola will not taste like olives)

I always add flax seed, 1/2 cup or so. I pulse it a few times in a coffee grinder (not the one we use for coffee). You can also crush it a little with a mortar and pestle or whiz it in the food processor. Don’t fully grind it. Just break it open so the good omega fatty acids can be absorbed by your body rather than, ahem, just passing through.

I always add cinnamon and ginger and a dash of sea salt. If you can get those from cute Ikea spice jars, all the better.

I also add a combination of other things depending on what I have on hand. Add according to your taste. You may need to adjust the sweetener and oil depending on what you add (more dry goods may require a little more oil). I have added up to 1/2 cup each of unsweetened coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower kernels and/or chopped pecans. Sometimes I add a little vanilla. You can’t mess this up (unless you burn it!) so put in what appeals to you. I spread this in a foil-lined pan and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Stir and bake for an additional 6 – 10 minutes. Watch it closely. It will burn if you aren’t careful.

After cooking, you could certainly add some dried fruit. I don’t, but only because I have these babies in the freezer:

This baby loves blueberries more than almost anything.