Homemade Granola

One of the ways we've cut costs recently is to eliminate breakfast cereal.  Instead, I make a big batch of pancakes or muffins that will last anywhere from 2-4 days.  However, sometimes it's nice to have a bowl of something with milk while you're sitting at breakfast.

An easy homemade cereal to make is granola...and it can be varied to your heart's content.  This recipe is adapted from the Hallelujah Acres Cookbook.  Where I've substituted flax seeds, they had called for shredded coconut, which I never have on hand because I don't care for it.  My whole family loves this!

Granola
Ingredients
4 cups rolled oats (you can use whole or quick)
1 cup crushed almonds
1/2 cup whole grain flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup flax seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup wheat germ or wheat bran
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup honey, molasses or maple syrup (I use honey)
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Combine all dry ingredients, grinding the pumpkin and sunflower seeds to a finer texture beforehand if you wish (I don't).  Mix in the honey and vanilla and stir until the dry ingredients have been moistened.  Some will clump together, which is fine. 


It's easy to recruit help for this one!

Ready to spread onto trays.

Spread evenly on non-stick cookie sheets and bake for 40-60 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes.  How thinly you spread the granola and the oven itself will both affect baking time.  The granola should be browned slightly when done.  Cool on cookie sheets and store in an airtight container.  It should keep for several days, if it lasts that long!



Spread evenly and bake.  I have to use two racks, placed as close to the center of the oven as possible, to fit all three sheets.  I also rotate the sheets when it's time to stir.



Enjoy!

Note: You can also dehydrate this if you have a dehydrator.  In addition, feel free to experiment with ingredients.  The nuts and seeds can be varied to suit your taste or whatever you have on hand.  For instance, pecans or walnuts would be fine substitutes for almonds...or if you're simply short on these, either increase the amount of oats or decrease the amount of honey.  You can also mix in some raisins, dried cranberries, or other dried fruit for a bit more sweetness.