Granola



 

Homemade granola is delicious and very nutritious if prepared correctly.  I love to add it to my bowl of homemade fruited yogurt for a filling breakfast.  The recipe fills a 1/2 gallon jar with granola.



Ingredients:

 

3 cups rolled oats (not quick)

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup pecan pieces

1/2 cup walnut pieces

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup almond slivers

1/4 cup shredded coconut

2 Tbl black sesame seeds

2 Tbl yellow sesame seeds

2 tsp cinnamon

 

1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil

2 Tbl raw unfiltered honey

3 Tbl pure maple syrup

1/2 tsp almond extract

 

In a small pourable cup, measure out maple syrup and allow to come to room temperature while measuring out the dry ingredients.  In a large bowl, add all the dry ingredients and stir together.  Now add the honey, almond extract and coconut oil (heat gently on very low if solid) to the maple syrup.  While stirring, pour the liquid mixture onto the dry mixture.  Continue stirring until well mixed (you can't over mix this so be sure all the dry ingredients are evenly coated).

 

Line a large cookie sheet (it may take two) with parchment paper and spread granola mixture out on the cookie sheet.  Use two cookie sheets if needed.  You can also spread it out in multiple large glass baking dishes.  You want the thickness to be about 1/2 " maximum so it can dry.

 

This next step is critical.  You need to dry the granola (until it is no longer 'sticky') but you must keep the temperature below 118 °F to preserve the temperature sensitive enzymes and nutrients in the raw nuts, raw seeds, raw honey, and unrefined coconut oil.  Granola you purchase at the store and most granola recipes bake the granola to dry it at too high of a temperature which destroys its quality.  Remember that the quality of the foods you eat is critical.

 

If you have a large dehydrator with trays, use that to dry your granola.  You can also place the trays in your oven if you have an analog controller (or proofing setting on your digital oven controller) and set the temperature very low (100 - 110 °F).  Stir every couple hours, dehydrating until no longer sticky, about 24 hours.  I measured the temperature with an oven thermometer one day and made a white mark on the knob, so that I know where to set the knob.

If you only have a digital oven without a proofing temperature, you can still dry your granola, but it takes a little more attention.  Place the granola in your oven, and turn on the heat (the lowest setting is typically 170 °F).  The controller will display the current temperature as it heats up.  Stay at the oven (it only takes a minute) and when it reads 105 - 110 °F, turn off the oven.  Repeat this oven warming process throughout the day and evening.  If you remember to do it more often, it will dry more quickly.  Some batches have stayed in my oven for a few days!  This is fine.  Remove the cookie sheet(s) if you need your oven to bake something else and be sure the oven has cooled back to a low enough temperature before returning the granola for drying.  Don't walk away while heating the oven because it quickly gets too hot (I know from experience!).

 

When no longer sticky, store granola in a glass jar.