I used to think that granola was one of those things that you had to buy from a store.  I didn’t realize you could make it at home until I saw a post on the blog Chocolate and Zucchini in 2010.  It looked so easy and delicious that I decided to give a try.  The rest is history.  These days I make some serious granola.  I highly recommend giving it a try.  The great thing is that you can add, subtract, and substitute ingredients as you feel like it.  Beware, it’s addictive.

This is my favorite version:

Sadie’s Granola

Ingredients

• 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (I add a half cup each of sliced almonds, pecans, and walnuts)
• 1/2 cup seeds (I only use sunflower seeds, unsalted)
• 2 Tbs oil ( I use olive oil)
• 6 Tbs maple syrup
• 1-2 Tbs honey
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• 1 Tbs vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 egg white
• 3/4 cup chopped dried fruit (I use half dried cranberries, half raisons)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 300.

2. Combine oil, syrup, spices, salt, sugar, and honey.

3. Combine oats, nuts, and seeds.

4.  Add wet to dry and mix so everything is evenly distributed.

5. Add egg white.  (this will help make little clumps of oats and nuts, it makes a good texture)

6.  Spread mixture out on a greased cookie sheet.  (make sure the cookie sheet has sides, otherwise the granola will get all over the place)

7.  Bake the granola about 40 minutes depending on the oven, or until golden brown.  Check on it every  10  minutes or so and mix it up or turn it around in the oven to ensure that it bakes evenly.  You should be a little conservative because the granola will continue to crisp up after you take it out of the oven, you don’t want to over do it.

8.  Add the dried fruit when the granola has cooled off.  Allow to cool completely before you store it in a sealed container (you don’t want trapped moisture raining on your parade).

I like enjoying my granola with a little almond milk.

FYI: This is a great food-gift.  It’s my go-to hostess gift.  I buy a cute container like a mason jar, fill it with some fabulous home made granola and tie it with a pretty ribbon.  Voila!