Granola Take 3

I like granola. It's tasty. It's good with milk, mixed with yogurt, or in my hand. But I don't normally like what I can find in the store. Often way too sweet for my non-sweet tooth and never enough good stuff in it. I remembered my Dad making granola when he would go off with my brother and the Boy Scouts. It was some damn good stuff. So I figured I would take a stab at it.

I started with a bunch of recipes from the internet and a few from cookbooks I had, and looked at ingredients, proportions, and methods. I stuck with the general trends. I made a few test batches and just finished batch #3 which I think is pretty good for my tastes. Oh, and the big upside to making your own granola, besides getting it just the way you want it, it's cheaper than what you buy in a box. Peruse the bulk aisle in your local Whole Foods or natural foods store to see what seeds, nuts and fruits are available. Buying just what you need for one batch to try out won't cost you very much, often less than a dollar. Nuts and fruit are the big expenses in the granola, besides the honey of course.

1/4 c untoasted sesame seeds (unless you want a weird taste, made that mistake, eww)
1/4 cup flax seeds, toasted in a dry pan (Yeah Omega 3!)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, toasted in a dry pan
1 cup cashew pieces, toasted in a 400 degree oven
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted in a 400 degree oven
1/2 wheat germ, toasted in a dry pan (this does not take long, watch for burning!)
2 cups of rolled oats (do not use quick oats, will not work)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup mixed dried fruit pieces

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, add the sesame seeds, wheat germ, the toasted seeds and nuts, and the oats. Stir to combine. Add the vegetable oil and stir to combine. Add the honey and stir to combine. Make sure everything is well coated with the honey and oil. Turn the mixture out onto a sheet pan with a lip around it. Spread it into an even layer and pop it in the oven. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove and dump mixture back into the large mixing bowl. Add the fruit and stir to combine. Line the sheet pan with parchment paper and pour the mixture back out. Spread evenly to cool. Stir occasionally to prevent large clumps from forming. After an hour or so, break up clumps into your desired size and store in an airtight container. Stays good for a week or so....if it lasts that long.

Now this is just sweet enough for me. The honey here does two things, it adds flavor, and it acts as the binding agent for the granola. Don't add enough honey and it is just a mix of seeds and nuts. Add too much and it can become a solid rock. Depending on your preference, I would suggest between 1/3 - 2/3 cup of honey. I started with 1/2 cup and adjusted from there. If you're vegan, try agave nectar, brown rice syrup, or even dissolving some brown sugar in the oil on the stove before mixing it in.

I think in my next batch in a few weeks I will play around with adding some other grains. I think barley flakes could be interesting. I will just have to remember to up the honey up a bit if I increase the bulk volume too much to maintain the right consistency.