Granola is one of those foods I always took for granted, but in recent years it has become increasingly important as a staple in my diet. I love granola on its own, with soy milk, or mixed with soy yogurt. But here in Germany there is either Müsli (which is traditionally uncooked) or super crunchy versions of granola (which I like, and which is mostly just oats and flour).
So when I stumbled across this simple-looking recipe for granola, courtesy of Alton Brown, and saw that I had all the ingredients already at home, I knew I had to try it out.
This stuff was super easy to make, but better yet, it tasted amazing and made the kitchen smell dreamy. It was also an adequate amount for one person, and lasted nearly a week with me eating a bit each day. In fact, it was so delicious that I will likely never “go back” to store-bought granola, because this is just too good. It is also easily customizable, so you can use honey or agave as opposed to brown sugar, experiment with spices, and choose different nuts or fruits.
Directions:
-Mix together 3 cups rolled oats, 1 cup slivered almonds, 1 cup cashews, 3/4 cup shredded coconut, and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar in one bowl.
-Combine 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt in another bowl.
-Stir the two mixtures together, and pour the mixture onto a baking sheet.
-Bake at 250 F (~ 175 C) for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
-Allow the granola to cool, then add in dried fruit if you want before storing or eating straight away.
