Homemade Granola

I am always looking for ways to make our favourite foods from scratch. The reason for doing often has little to do with saving money but rather getting a healthier, preservative free version of a commercial product. The cost savings is just an added bonus. It's funny that I had just made a batch of homemade granola when one of my kids called to tell me how they had made homemade granola that apparently is oldest grandbaby's new favourite morning cereal. We don't use granola as a cereal very often. We use it instead as a topping.

Homemade Granola

Homemade granola is ever so easy to make and it's cheaper than store bought granola. What makes homemade granola even better than store bought is the ability to change the ingredients. Add whatever extra dried fruits you desire making it your own special blend. You can even add in ½ tsp of seasonings like cinnamon or ginger. Add ½ tsp vanilla or almond extract to the liquid mixture for a nice blend. Shop for the ingredients at a bulk food store for additional savings. Add your homedried fruits like blueberries or strawberries for even greater savings. Make several small batches with different ingredients for variety. Just make the base portion of the granola then tweak as you desire. My recipe for granola also included wheat germ to boost the fiber content making this granola a slightly healthier granola than other homemade granolas. The yield was 3½ c at a cost of $1.17 or 4.2¢ per ounce.

Homemade Granola

2 c old-fashioned oats*
½ c wheat germ
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
¼ tsp sea salt
⅓ c sweetened flaked coconut
⅓ c sliced almonds
⅓ c dark raisins
¼ c pure maple syrup
3 tbsp light vegetable oil
1 tbsp water

Mix first six ingredients together. Place the maple syrup, vegetable oil and water in small sauce pan. Heat just to a simmer. Pour over the oats mixture. Pour the mixture onto Silpat® lined baking pan. Bake at 135ºC (275ºF) for 30 minutes. Stir in the raisins. Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Let cool. Pour into air tight container. Store up to 2 weeks.

* Do not use quick cooking or instant oatmeal.