The BEST Granola
"This granola has as much fruit and nuts as it does oats. While most people love this as a nutritional powerhouse for breakfast, I use it as a pick-me-up snack in the afternoon. The fruit and nuts seems to boost my energy very well."
- Ready In:
- 32mins
- Ingredients:
- 12
- Serves:
-
12
ingredients
- 8 cups rolled oats (not instant)
- 3⁄4 cup canola oil
- 3⁄4 cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped raw pecans
- 1 cup chopped raw walnuts
- 1 cup chopped raw almonds
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup chopped dates
- 1 cup dried cranberries (or other dried fruit of your choice, i.e. apples, pineapple, apricots, etc.)
directions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, syrup, molasses, salt and cinnamon.
- Place the oats in a large bowl and mix in the oil/syrup until oats are thoroughly coated.
- Spread the oats in a thin layer on 2 or 3 cookie sheets.
- Bake for 12 minutes.
- Stir the oats on the sheets.
- Add the nuts to the oats on the cookie sheets and bake for 12 more minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool.
- In a large bowl, mix the baked oats and nuts with all the chopped dried fruit.
- Keep in an air tight container.
- Does not have to be refrigerated.
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Reviews
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This is wonderfully delicious! I halved the recipe and used corn oil instead of canola. I didn't have much maple syrup, so I used some pancake syrup with maple syrup in it. I used dried cherries instead of cranberries. I could just eat this for a snack right out of my hand! Thanks for a yummy treat!!! -
I've never been a granola eater but have wanted to make some for my daughters as a healthy snack/breakfast alternative. After, this was done, I sampled and to be blunt, they almost didn't get any. This is terrific stuff. I am a convert!! I actually have to go back to the store and get more stuff to make another batch!! I did not have canola oil so used plain veggie oil. I also used toasted almonds I found in the fresh fruit section of my grocery store. Added half way through. I only had a 1/2 T. cinnamon on hand so really didn't get the full dose of that, didn't miss it. Still cinnamony. Thanks for posting!! -
I wanted to try making my own granola (store-bought can be SO expensive and not-so-fresh-tasting) and thought it would be a good idea to start with a recipe called "The BEST." It definately lives up to its name! Not overly sweet, I had it every morning this week with a little milk or over yogurt. The recipe made enough to send some home with my mother, boyfriend AND a classmate! I added extra nuts and omitted the dried fruit, and the results were JUST what I was hopipng for. -
This really is the BEST granola. Hands down.
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This is a very nice granola recipe- to be honest, it won't be replacing my recipe, but still very good, so it does get the full 5 stars! I made 3/4 of the recipe and followed it precisely with one exception - I had no dates on-hand, so I just left them out. The maple gives it a very nice sweetness although I didn't find the flavor to be particularly distinctly mapley. I used part (a little short of half) unrefined peanut oil for extra flavor and the rest canola, which was very nice. This doesn't have tons of granola chunks like you might get from a commercial granola (I have found that most homemade granolas don't usually) but still has a lovely crunchy texture. One thing I would change- I would add the nuts at the begining of the cooking time. I like my nuts in granola to be a little toasted and they taste a little too raw for my tastes after only 12 minutes cook time. The oil/maple mixture thickened really well and coated the oats perfectly. I found all the cook times to be very acurate. I think that Wendy T.'s recommendation of a little coconut is a good one- its amazing how much a little coconut can accentuate the flavor of granola. I had a nice bowl of this with some milk for breakfast! Very delicious and filling! Thanks, Geema, for another gem!
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Tweaks
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This is wonderfully delicious! I halved the recipe and used corn oil instead of canola. I didn't have much maple syrup, so I used some pancake syrup with maple syrup in it. I used dried cherries instead of cranberries. I could just eat this for a snack right out of my hand! Thanks for a yummy treat!!!
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Geema
Naples, 87
<p>Life often interupts our comfortable routines in very unexpected ways and in the past three years I've certainly faced some challenges. As a health nut who ate mostly vegetarian I was beyond shocked to discover that I was diabetic. <img title=Yell src=../tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/img/smiley-yell.gif border=0 alt=Yell /> I shouted and rebelled and cried. But the good news is that I can control my glucose levels simply by eating very low carb. What a complete turn around it was to pass up all my high carb vegetarian foods like grains, and veggies and embrace meat! <img title=Surprised src=../tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/img/smiley-surprised.gif border=0 alt=Surprised /> I've adjusted to this limited diet and thanks to Zaar can eat a nice variety of healthful meals.</p>
<p> The next challenge was a freakish fall I took while in New York with my daughter that left me paralyzed and in much pain. I thank God that I am so much better today after more than two years recovery, with total mobility and just some minor pain in my arms and hands. Cooking and communicating here was not really on my priority list. But, I am back in action and ready to cook, take photos, and enjoy this wonderful community of friends.<img title=Laughing src=../tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/img/smiley-laughing.gif border=0 alt=Laughing /></p>
<p>My husband and I continue to enjoy our grandchildren and being closely involved with their day to day activities. I am also the proud owner of a sweet grey and white cat who came to my door as a little kitten 6 months ago. Her name is Bonny and you can read her story here: <a href=http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/ps/3/g7hopubcqxji7ub0y6fg target=_blank>http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/ps/3/g7hopubcqxji7ub0y6fg</a>.</p>
<p> When I have time for myself, I love to do all things artistic...drawing, pastels, paper craft, scrapbooking, and most recently jewelry making. I have set up a website on ETSY ( shown on this page by my website)and you can go there and see my creations.<img title=Cool src=../tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/img/smiley-cool.gif border=0 alt=Cool /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/projects/200_PACpic.jpg border=0 alt=Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket /> <br /><br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/projects/pacbanner.jpg border=0 alt=Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket /> <br /><br /><a href=http://photobucket.com target=_blank><img src=http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j166/ZaarNicksMom/houdini6.jpg border=0 alt=Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket /></a> <br /><br /><img src=http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/DUCHESS13/Zaar%20World%20Tour%203/ZWT3-Participation.gif alt= /></p>
