So I’ve been wanting to try to make my own granola for a while now. But I’m pretty picky about what I do and do NOT like in commercially-packaged cereals, so I’ve always been worried that my homemade concoction would fail to impress. Plus, every time I’ve googled “granola”, the magnitude and variety of recipes has made it impossible for me to choose.
This recipe is not from the internet. It’s actually modified from my old college roommate’s family’s recipe. And while I’m not yet satisfied with these results, I think this recipe has proved to be a good jumping-off point. I’d say this basic recipe is a middle-of-the-road cereal in the oil and sugar departments. It didn’t clump like I’d hoped, but the overall flavor was nice.
I’d really like to try some flavor variations in the future, as well as some other recipes that use alternative sweeteners (like apple juice) and less oil. (I’ve even seen some with peanut butter….hmmm….This could be love!)
So here you have it- my almond, date, coconut and seasame granola! I got about 6 cups out of this. We’ll see how long it lasts!
Almond, Date, Coconut, Sesame Granola
3/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup dried coconut
3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup chopped dates
Preheat oven to 320
Mix dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, mix honey, oil, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Pour over oat mixture. Spread onto a cookie sheet in a thin layer. Bake a total of 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every 5 to 7 minutes, and being careful not to let it burn. Let cool. Break up the chunks and mix in dried fruit. Store in an airtight container. (I keep mine in the freezer.)
One Tuff Cream Puff 