In my thirty-[indecipherable mutter of an incomprehensible number] years, granola has gone in and out of favor more often than bangs have gone in and out of fashion. It’s full of fat, stay away. It’s full of fat, eat it. It’s high carb, stay away. It’s high in good carbs, eat it.
All I know is: 1. It’s darn tasty, and 2. Oats, nuts and seeds have great-for-me stuff in them. So as long as I don’t eat five cups of homemade granola at a time (tempting as it may be), I think I’m good.
All the better if you make your granola at home. The ingredients are relatively inexpensive, you know exactly what goes into it, and it tastes fantastic.
Plus, it looks really cute in a mason jar tied up with a simple tag and some jute.
So whip some up with me. And then go get bangs with me. Or am I the only one who is actually going to get a haircut with bangs, yet again, only to remember why I hate having hairstyles with bangs? Yeah? (And wait … have they actually gone back out of style already?)
Crunchy, hearty and full of flavor, this homemade granola recipe is easy and oh-so yummy. Adjust the seeds, nuts and dried fruit to make it your own. Sprinkle a little on some greek yogurt for a filling breakfast, throw some in a bag for an easy (and satisfying) snack or fill up a mason jar and give it away as a gift ... if you can bring yourself to part with any, that is.
5cupsfive-grain rolled grain cereal or 5 cups rolled oats(or a combination of both equaling 5 cups)
4cupsnuts and seeds
1cupof dried fruit
My current fave combo or nuts and fruit is:
3/4cupflaxseeds
1/2cupsunflower seeds
1cuppepitas(pumpkin seeds)
1cupsliced or roughly chopped almonds
3/4cupcashews(roughly chopped)
1cupdried mango(coarsely chopped)
Instructions
Heat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two rimmed cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix the rolled grains and/or oats, nuts, and seeds. (The dried fruit is added after it's baked).
In a saucepan over low heat, combine the honey, butter, and vegetable oil, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted and ingredients are well-combined.
Pour the honey/butter/oil mixture over the grain/nut/seed mixture, and stir with a wooden spoon until evenly coated.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the granola turns golden brown.
Let cool, then stir in the chopped dried mango (or other dried fruit).
Store in an airtight container (it should keep for up to a month at room temp).