Granola from scratch?

[ewp11100]

Spin off of the cooking from scratch thread, I didn't want to get my post lost in it's many pages.

So what's your favorate recipe for making granola? Is it cheaper then bying it if you factor in the oven is on to bake it (expecally with AC going). Can you makin it in the food dehydrtor?

[kdabbler]

:

Just thinking about this when a co-worker brought in some homemade granola. This thread might have better luck in the Nutrition and Good Eating forum.

[HydeParkB]

I'm toying with Alton Brown's recipe for Granola from the Foodtv.com website.

I've upped the amount of oats, substituted sunflowers for the cashews, use whatever dried fruits are on hand (craisins, golden raisins, brown raisins for the last batch). I subbed honey for the maple syrup. And I grind up some flax seed and add that in.

[spring978]

I often bake mine early in the am or late at night and the oven is on low so it doesnt make the house hot.

I can bake a huge amount of ganola at one time so it saves lots of money.

I dont have a favorite recipe s I play with it a lot sometimes adding peanut butter some times using honey or maple syrup adding spices. I add fruit and raisins after it comes out of the oven so often I make 2-3 kinds from the oat base from the oven.

[FiddleMama]

I make granola every week. I try to pair it with another oven activity to save energy. It's definitely WAY cheaper than buying granola or another dry cereal and healthier and tastier too.

We buy our ingredients in bulk so that helps too.

Here's the quick and dirty version: 3 cups oats, 1 cup nuts (I like sliced almonds), 1 cup seeds (I like a mixture of sunflower, sesame, and flax seeds but I just use whatever I have), 1 cup shredded coconut, generous dash of cinnamon. Mix together in a big bowl.

Heat in a saucepan: 1/2 c oil (I use olive oil or coconut oil), 3/4 c honey, glug of vanilla, heat until it's thinned out and very warm. Pour on top of dry mixture and mix very well.

Pop in the oven at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Throw back into the bowl and mix in 1 cup of dried fruit (we usually use raisins). So fast and easy and makes my house smell awesome. My toddler likes to help mixing the dry ingredients. I don't really understand why most recipes call for baking it for a long time at a low heat. The consistency of ours is perfect every time at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

We usually eat granola with plain yogurt, drizzle of honey, and sliced bananas. It's so good!!! Lots of variation is possible too depending on what nuts, fruits, and spices you have on hand.

[camprunner]

We used the one from the Tightwad Gazette a lot last summer. My kids ate it for a snack and like cereal with milk over it. We substituted chocolate chips or marshmallows for the raisons occasionally. Yeah...now that I type that, it doesn't sound so healthy but it did change up the recipe a little.

[artemis33]

I've been making the one from Mothering every week or two for a year and a half! We love it. I add a little extra maple syrup and also shredded coconut : I've even made it subbing coconut oil for the butter for my dairy free friends Oh and after I bake it I sometimes toss in some dried cherries or cranberries. YUM!

It is called Grand Slam Granola.
http://www.mothering.com/sections/re...m-granola.html

If you get your nuts and maple syrup from TJ's you'll save some money

[ewp11100]

ok so I know this is asking a lot but low-fat granola? 1/2 cup oil and added sugar I rarely eat it my self (cause of the calories) but my husband eats it on fruit and yogurt 3+ times a week.

[texmati]

Originally Posted by ewp11100

ok so I know this is asking a lot but low-fat granola? 1/2 cup oil and added sugar I rarely eat it my self (cause of the calories) but my husband eats it on fruit and yogurt 3+ times a week.

I was wondering the same thing... I love granola, but it's certainly a 'sometimes' food.

[lilyka]

here is how I make it:

gather some stuff. nuts, seeds, grains, cheerios,

a large cast iron skillet

Something sweet.

get you rpan hot. Start with your largetst nuts. the oil fromthe nuts will add all the oil you need. get yourn uts nice and taosty. add the rest of the ingrediants one at a time according to size. (I use nuts, oats, seseme seeds, sun flower seeds, pumpkin seeds and cheerios) getting each nice and toasty. keep strring though or stuff will burn.

if you want sugar add something sugary of your choice. white sugar doesn't work to well but brown sugar is nice. corn syrup will give you something crunchioer and honey will give you something kinda sticky. both are good. I have yet to experiment with other sweetners but this is now officially on my todo list today.

you can skip the sugar but then you won't have any clumps.

lay out on wax paper or foil or a cookie cheet or your clean kitchen counter to cool. may harden as it gets cooler.

once it is cool feel fre to add chocolate chips, marshmellows, dried fruit . . . whatever. or nothing.

[wannabe]

Originally Posted by ewp11100

ok so I know this is asking a lot but low-fat granola? 1/2 cup oil and added sugar I rarely eat it my self (cause of the calories) but my husband eats it on fruit and yogurt 3+ times a week.

You can have muesli instead
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Muesli/Detail.aspx

[straighthaircurly]

I have stopped buying any boxed cereals ever since I started making the granola from this website... http://www.usaweekend.com/06_issues/...cooksmart.html

I usually make four different flavors at a time and even make up my own depending on what fruit or nut combos we have on hand. My son even made up his own Joey's Special Christmas granola (used dried cranberries, pecans and a few leftover peppermint sprinkles it was actually pretty good). I store the batches in mason jars. MMMMMmmmmm!

[oiseau]

I totally love the Alton Brown recipe. I use sunflower seeds & almond slivers for the nuts, dried cherries and crystalized ginger for the fruit and coconut oil for the oil. SO GOOD! And it's super easy.

[milkmommie]

I have a new granola recipe that we've been loving this summer over yogurt in the morning.
4C oats
4T butter
1/2 C flax
1 C nuts or sunseeds
1/2 C honey (this can be reduced or replaced with maple syrup)
4tsp. vanilla
1/4C apple or orange juice ( I get no sugar added juice)

bake oats at 350 on a cookie sheet until toasted
meanwhile combine butter, honey, vanilla, and juice in saucepan.
when oats are ready add them and flax, nuts (and any fruit you wish) to the saucepan and stir to coat.
spread evenly on cookie sheet and bake for 20 mins in 300 degree oven. If you bake these longer you can get them to come out a little more like granola bars. :

[FiddleMama]

ok so I know this is asking a lot but low-fat granola? 1/2 cup oil and added sugar I rarely eat it my self (cause of the calories) but my husband eats it on fruit and yogurt 3+ times a week.

I think it's a portion size thing. That's a 1/2 c of oil for a huge batch of granola and olive/coconut oils are full of good fats that our bodies need, especially for children. We eat granola more as a topping/added crunch to plain yogurt and fresh fruit and I consider it a healthy breakfast or snack.