Uncooked granola

We used to buy granola. Scott likes his with yoghurt. I like mine with milk. We would get it in bulk from the Thriftway, from the Ballard Market, from PCC. They mostly sucked (weird vanilla-y flavours). And/or they were very expensive (I thought). I mean – what is granola? A bunch of oats and nuts and stuff, right?

So, we stopped buying granola. Which meant we stopped eating granola.

Cooked granola

I finally tried making it. Turns out it is dead easy to make, cheap, and totally worth it. I am sure there are tons of recipes and you can develop your own that are more nutritious (and possibly even more delicious), but I modified one like so:

Granola

Turn oven to 250 F

In a large bowl, mix:

3 c rolled oats
2 c nuts (I like sliced almonds and roasted pecans)
3/4 c shredded sweet coconut
1/4 c brown sugar

In a separate, smaller bowl mix:

1/4 c maple syrup
1/4 c vegetable oil (I know – ew)
3/4 t salt

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine thoroughly

Spread out 1″ deep on cookie sheet(s) and bake for 1 h 15 min, stirring every 15-min-ish for even colour and to prevent sticking to the pan

Remove from oven and add:

1 c dried fruit (I like raisins and cherries)

Mix well, and allow to cool before storing in an airtight container

Finished granola

This granola will last several weeks unless you invite Chris Loveless to spend the week and he uses it all up en la madrugada, sauteed with bacon, pot, and cocacola. Seriously.