Add to favoritesSo… Guiltless Granola. Sounds a little redundant, doesn’t it? I mean, granola is practically the poster child for feel-good-about-yourself eating. The problem is that granola can be expensive- and it shouldn’t be. Bags of gourmet granola line the shelves of specialty stores and regular supermarkets, so you can buy this wholesome, healthy food almost anywhere. But why should you, when for a fraction of the price, you can easily make your own at home?
I would love to share my easy and economical recipe for granola. It’s a very basic recipe, so you can always customize it by including different nuts and/or dried fruit, or using different combinations, according to your tastes. Also, the sweetening in the recipe is the way I like it, but you can make it sweeter or less sweet depending on what you like, or use all honey or all maple syrup, or even agave syrup, if that’s what you prefer. Try adding chocolate chunks after it cools to make it a little more indulgent. It’s not an exact science so have fun and experiment until you find your perfect combination of ingredients. Enjoy it as a cereal, sprinkled over yogurt or ice cream, or as a guilt-free snack on its own. Guilt-free. Yes, I said it.
Here is my basic recipe for granola:
1/8 cup canola oil
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup real maple syrup
1 tablespoon natural vanilla extract
5 cups oats
1/2 cup chopped nuts and seeds of your choice. (My favorites are pecans, almonds, and pumpkin seeds.)
1/4 cup died cranberries. (You can also use raisins, dried blueberries or cherries, chopped dried mango, dates, pineapple, or a combination.)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the oil, honey, and maple syrup in a large pot over low heat until the honey melts. Turn off the fire and add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and mix well. Pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spread into an even layer, and place in the oven. Toss carefully with a heat-proof spatula or wooden spoon every five minutes for about 20- 25 minutes. It should look toasted but not too brown. Let it cool completely before transferring to a container. This should stay fresh and crisp for a couple of weeks- if you can make it last that long!
