 |
I have NEVER thought about making my own cereal until recently. It is amazing to think that ALMOST everything we buy prepackaged, we can make ourselves. I am finding I have to keep changing my paradigm, my thinking. Things don’t have to be the way they were just because I’ve always done them that way, like having packaged cereal almost every morning for more than 30 years. We would have the Saturday morning pancakes, waffles, French toast, or scrambled eggs, but Sunday-Friday it was cereal. To make your own food it just takes a little bit more time then just opening a package, whether it’s making cookies, granola bars, or cakes, mashed potatoes, or pasta dishes. The more you cook and bake, the more efficient and fluent you will get in the kitchen.
This week I got the inspiration to make a granola cereal. There are so many granola recipes out there. I combined ideas from different recipes to come up with this recipe. Granola is so good as a cereal with milk in addition to being a great topping for yogurt or ice cream.
Ingredients
- 4 C rolled oats
- 1 1/2 C chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1 C unsweetened large flake coconut
- 1 C dried cranberries (can leave out and add after baking if desired)
- optional 3 T TriMix (1 T Wheat Germ, 1 T Wheat Bran, 1 T Oat Bran)
- 1/2 t salt
- 1/3 C honey (agave for vegan)
- 1/3 C coconut oil (could use butter)
- 1/3 C maple syrup (I used Trader Joe's Agave Maple Syrup Blend)
- (or optionally for wet ingredients I use 1/2 C honey & 1/2 cup coconut oil: the important thing is to have 1 cup of wet ingredients whether you use the maple syrup or not)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300.
- Combine all dry ingredients.
- Combine honey, coconut oil and maple syrup, and heat until coconut oil is melted.
- Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool and store in an air tight container.
Alternatively, I have also made it with 1/2 C honey, 1/2 cup coconut oil and no maple syrup. I think I like the cranberries and coconut better unbaked, so now I added them after baking.
Update 1/18/12: Butter works with this recipe. It is a little heavier. The coconut oil makes the recipe lighter. I am no longer making this with the maple syrup.
Other recipes you may enjoy:
Oat-less Low-Carb Peanut Butter Granola in the Crock-pot or Not
Easy Trail Mix Recipe
Gluten Free Pumpkin Streusel Pie
Shared @ Seasonal Inspiration, Wellness Weekend, Fight Back Friday, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, Monday Mania, Breakfast Ideas Monday, Mix it Up Monday!
|
Okay, Jonathan here. I have to say that this is the best cereal I’ve ever eaten, and it’s not even close. It is tasty, I can vouch for the ingredients and it satisfies my appetite until lunch, which is saying something for me. I am generally hungry around 10:00AM, but when I eat this granola, I don’t even think about food again until lunchtime rolls around.
I also love to put it in yogurt. Sometimes I eat yogurt SO THAT I can put the granola in it.
Oh, and when Sonja’s not looking, I sometimes pick out the nuts, which have an amazing roasted flavor with a hint of honey flavor. But don’t tell her.
Thanks! We hope people will benefit, too!
I’ve never made granola, but I will now! Thanks so much for sharing at Mix it up Monday
I’d love to know how it goes. You are welcome!
Can this be made without the flake coconut as my husband is allergic to Coconut.
Oh, yes. I’ve been making this for many months now. I even made it today without the coconut, and then adding it later, and I’ve had NO problem. Enjoy!
Best granola I have ever made. I used pecans and almonds. I also substituted the butter but only 2 t. Used agave nectar and honey but no maple syrup. Added a little Mexican vanilla and it was amazing. I just wish it would clump together. Its hard to eat as a snack without a spoon.
Hi Kim, So glad to hear! If you want it clumpier, experiment with adding more wet ingredients. So now it has 1 cup of wet ingredients; increase it to 1 & 1/4 cups. Then if you don’t get it clumpy enough, keep increasing the wet ingredients by 1/4 cup each time until you get the desired consistency. If you do this, I’d love to know how it goes. I also have a nut-only granola that is really clumpy. I made it in the crock-pot, but you can do it in the oven, too: http://practical-stewardship.com/2012/07/14/crock-pot-or-not-lower-carb-peanut-butter-granola/ Thanks for visiting!
Sonja: Is it possible to use steel cut oats in this recipe?
Hi Marion, I have never tried steel cut oats here, so I really don’t know. If you try it, I would REALLY love to know how they turn out! Thanks for visiting!
First time to your site, and I will be back. Can’t wait to make this granola. Thanks!
Hi Sara, As I type now I am making a quadruple batch of this. When I make huge batches, I use two big crock-pots to make it, because it’s easier for me that way. We eat this multiple times a week. Thanks for visiting!