Honey Granola (small batch)

 

One of my favorite things to have for breakfast in the mornings is granola, and I always make my own.  I have several versions that I like to make. My good friend Mable taught me how to make my own granola back in the 1980's.

It's a really delicious way to get your children to eat oatmeal.  They might turn up their noses at a bowl of hot oats but pop some granola in front of them and they will be gobbling it up. It also makes a great and nutritious snack with all of the nuts, wholesome grains and dried fruit.

This is a variation on the original granola that I made with honey all those years ago. I have downsized it to make a much smaller amount.  Now that there is only me in the house, I just cannot use up the amount created in my original recipe.

Like with any recipe, this version of granola no longer resembles the original one. I have added to it and adapted it through the years, trying out new things.  I like to think that it is even better than the original, but I do admit I am a bit biased.

 

 

One thing for sure, it's a lot healthier than most ready-made granolas you will find in the shops. They are almost always loaded with preservatives, sugar and fat.  I have to admit as well, they just don't taste good in comparison to a good granola that you have made yourself at home.

Admittedly, I am a bit biased, but I always think that homemade anything tastes infinitely better than anything you can buy in the shops.

 

Making things like this yourself means you get to control what goes into them.  What kinds of nuts you enjoy, how sweet or not sweet you want it to be.   The kind of fat you choose to use. No palm oils or hydrogenated fats in my house!

No fake sugars either.  Whenever I make my granola I always use pure honey or maple syrup. 

That's probably why it tastes better than store bought. Everything is natural.  I did start using a cereal mix in my granola years ago. Meusli works great.  Anything that is a nice mix of grains.  Today I used this Kashi Go Lean Honey, Almond and Flax Cereal. 

I love Kashi and I thought it would work perfectly in this. I was right. It does.  Have you ever tried their Cinnamon Whole Wheat Harvest cereal?  I love it and could munch on it like cookies. They are like mini shredded wheats with a nice cinnamon flavor, but no sugar is added. Love them.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE HONEY GRANOLA

Simple everyday ingredients. It might seem like a lot, but you can pare it down by using only one or two nuts. Myself, I like a nice variety!

• 7 ounces (approximately 200g) Kashi Go Lean Almond Flax cereal (you can use any multigrain cereal in the same amount. Meusli is good.)
• 2 cups (approximately 165g) large flake oats
• 1/2 cup (60g) walnut halves
• 1/2 cup (85g) whole almonds
• 1/4 cup (30g) raw cashew nuts
• 1/4 cup (30g) pecans
• 1/4 cup (31g) pistachio nuts
• small handful sunflower seeds
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup 120ml) honey
• 1/4 cup (60ml) light olive oil or melted coconut oil

To finish:

• approximately 1 cup (151g) dried fruit (cranberries, blueberries, sultanas, cherries, apricots, etc.)

 

As I said you can vary the number of varieties of nuts you use. I like a nice wide variety. The important thing is you have about 1 1/2 cups of nuts altogether.   Don't use salted nuts. Just the plain old raw nuts will do.

You can also vary the type of dried fruits you use to finish the granola with.  Bear in mind that because of the cereal some of the moisture from your dried fruit will be absorbed, so don't pick fruit that is aready quite dry.

Also don't pick fruit that is too moist, or you will end up with a soggy granola!   Sometimes I like to add large coconut chips into the mix, or pumpkin seeds.  Granola is one of those breakfast cereals that just about anything goes!

 

HOW TO MAKE HONEY GRANOLA

Nothing could be easier. Just be sure to keep an eye on it in the oven and stir it frequently. You don't want it burning.

Preheat the oven to 300*F/150*C/gas mark 3. Spray a large, rimmed baking sheet with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.

Mix together all of the cereal, oats, nuts and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Whisk together the honey and oil. Pour this over the dry mixture in the bowl and mix well together with a wooden spoon, making sure everything gets coated. Spread this mixture out on the prepared baking sheet.

Toast in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes. Give it a stir every 15 minutes and keep a very close watch on it for the last 10 minutes. Because of the honey it can go from perfect to burnt in a flash.

Remove from the oven. Stir occasionally as it cools. Stir in the dried fruit and store in an airtight container. This also freezes well and will keep for up to 6 months.

 

We are coming into gift giving season here over the next weeks and Granola makes a great gift. Just pop it into a fancy jar and tie a nice ribbon around the lid, along with a label stating the ingredients. 

It's really nice popped into a basket along with a few other breakfast goodies such as a nice box of tea, some artisanal bread, a jar of nice jam or marmalade, and maybe a nice mug and some homemade napkins. I can't think of anyone who wouldn't love a gift like that! 

 

Are you as much of a lover of Homemade granolas and cereals as I am? If so, you might also enjoy these:

PERFECT GRANOLA -  I think this is the perfect balance of toasted nuts, coconut flakes, old fashioned oats and maple sweetness.  Not too sweet, just perfect.  I enjoy it with plain yogurt and sometimes a squirt of date syrup if I am feeling especially indulgent. 

EASY STOVE-TOP GRANOLA - A delicious granola that you make totally in a skillet on top of the stove. Perfect for when you don't have a working oven, are in student digs, or for when you just don't want to heat up the kitchen.

Yield: 4 - 5 cups

Author: Marie Rayner

Honey Granola

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 50 Min

My favorite breakfast is a bowl of Greek yogurt, sprinkled with homemade granola and fruit. This is one of my favorite versions of granola. Its super good!

Ingredients

• 7 ounces (approximately 200g) Kashi Go Lean Almond Flax cereal (you can use any multigrain cereal in the same amount. Meusli is good.)
• 2 cups (approximately 165g) large flake oats
• 1/2 cup (60g) walnut halves
• 1/2 cup (85g) whole almonds
• 1/4 cup (30g) raw cashew nuts
• 1/4 cup (30g) pecans
• 1/4 cup (31g) pistachio nuts
• small handful sunflower seeds
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup 120ml) honey
• 1/4 cup (60ml) light olive oil or melted coconut oil

To finish:

• approximately 1 cup (151g) dried fruit (cranberries, blueberries, sultanas, cherries, apricots, etc.)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300*F/150*C/gas mark 3. Spray a large, rimmed baking sheet with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.
2. Mix together all of the cereal, oats, nuts and cinnamon in a large bowl.
3. Whisk together the honey and oil. Pour this over the dry mixture in the bowl and mix well together with a wooden spoon, making sure everything gets coated. Spread this mixture out on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Toast in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes. Give it a stir every 15 minutes and keep a very close watch on it for the last 10 minutes. Because of the honey it can go from perfect to burnt in a flash.
5. Remove from the oven. Stir occasionally as it cools. Stir in the dried fruit and store in an airtight container. This also freezes well and will keep for up to 6 months.

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