Homemade granola

Tasty granola smothered in a healthy dollop of rich yogurt is one of my favorite snacks or quick breakfasts, and nothing makes the house smell as good as warm granola fresh out of the oven. Here’s a simple recipe that is pretty easy to adjust according to whatever flavors you want to include or ingredients you have on hand. When I rolled into Yosemite Valley to stay a month, I had 3 gallons of granola that I made from excess ingredients snatched from the throw-away pile at work. If you can source cheap ingredients this is a truly cheap, mad-tasty food.

Ingredients:

4 cups rolled oats

1-2 cups chopped nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts…)

1 cup seeds (pumpkin or sunflower)

½ cup oil (Coconut oil is tasty, safflower is cheap and simple)

½ cup sweetener (maple syrup or honey)

1 tsp each spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne…)

1 tsp vanilla optional

1-2 cups dried fruit, whatever you fancy

Mix it all up in a big bowl. If using coconut oil, melt it first.

Bake for 45 minutes at 375°, stirring every 15 minutes. Err on the side of pulling it out early, you don’t want to burn it (unless you like the crispy taste) and you can always heat it a little more.

Eat some immediately because you can’t help it, then mix in dried fruit if you wish once it’s cooled down.

This basic blueprint for granola can be tailored to many themes. I’ve recently enjoyed making it with cashews, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, coconut oil, maple syrup, cinnamon and ground cardamom. Super good. Walnuts and cinnamon with dried apples is a classic combo. I usually add ground flax seed for a healthy oil addition.