Granola Recipes

Granola is not the healthiest choice in foods but eaten in moderation it is a nice snack and I have to admit that I love it with my yogurt in the morning. I have three recipes that I use for granola - depending on the mood! Here they are, enjoy!

Peanut Butter Granola
2/3 cup peanut butter
2/3 cup honey
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups of oats
1 cup of raisins

1. Combine the peanut butter, honey and cinnamon in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Add the vanilla.
3. Mix with the oats in a large bowl and bake for 35-40 minutes.
4. Place the raisins in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let satand for ten minutes and then drain.
5. Add to the granola and bake an additional twenty minutes.

Coconut Granola
8 cups of oats
1 cup oat bran
1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
3/4 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried cranberries

1. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, oat bran, coconut and almonds.
2. Spread evenly on a baking sheet or two and bake for 7-8 minutes at 350 degrees until lightly toasted. Allow to cool and return to the bowl.
3. Combine the coconut milk, oils and honey in a saucepan while the oats are toasting. Bring to a boil for two minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
4. Pour the syrup over the granola in the bowl and stir until completely coated.
5. Spread evenly over baking sheet(s) and bake for eight minutes or until fragrant and toasted. Let the granola cool and then add in the dried cranberries.

Traditional Granola
8 cups quick cooking oats
1 1/2 cups oat bran
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup finely chopped almonds
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup honey
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups of raisins or cranberries (or a mix)

1. Combine oats, seeds and nuts in a large bowl.
2. Stir together salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, oil, cinnamon and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
3. Stir syrup over the dry ingredients to coat them evenly.
4. Spread the mixture evenly on baking sheet.
5. Bake at 350 degrees until crispy and toasted, about 20 minutes. Stir halfway through to prevent burning.
6. Cool and stir in the raisins or cranberries.

These recipes should get you started with making granola and once you try it a couple times it is fun to experiment with other ingredients. I like to line my baking sheets with aluminum foil so that it is less mess later on and I double the baking sheets to prevent it from burning. By reading the ingredients you can see why granola isn't the healthiest decision with the oils and sugars but making your own is much healthier than store bought versions with artificial sweeteners, corn syrup and who knows what else! Use granola as fuel - it is great before and during a hike or a workout. If it is hard to ration yourself to just a small portion break it into individual servings with tupperware or plastic baggies so it will be rationed out for you.