Granola!
We’re kicking off the new year with a month of breakfast recipes. Breakfast fuels the body for a day of activity. Granola is one of our house staples. Kimberly and I both like to make it homemade because we can customize the ingredients to our preference and without preservatives (and it’s less expensive). Use gluten-free oats or omit nuts for special diets. In the winter you can top granola with dried fruits, frozen berries, or just eat it with plain yogurt and honey.
The basic steps to making granola are to coat the oats with honey and oil (some of the recipes add maple syrup and other flavorings) along with any seeds, nuts, or coconut. This mixture is baked anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes depending on the temperature, with frequent mixing to avoid burning. Then the dried fruit is added in before the entire mixture cools. Knowing these basic steps will allow you to customize your own granola recipe.
Classic Granola Recipe from The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped coarse
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 cup raisins
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees.
Mix the oats, walnuts, coconut, almonds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds together.
Heat the oil, maple syrup, and honey in a small saucepan until warm, then pour over the nut mixture and toss to coat. Spread the granola evenly over a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring every 5 minutes, until the granola is light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Stir in the raisins.
Let the granola cool to room temperature. Loosen the dried granola with a spatula and store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Good Morning Sunshine!