Granola

Well I get asked how I make my granola, its easy, follow this step by step to make some of the best granola you ever had. All ingredients are not sweetened, salted, bulk barn is a great place to shop

Ingredients

- 4 cups rolled oat - or 3 cups oat, 1 cup wheat bran
- aprox 1 cup shredded unsweet coconut
- aprox 1 cup chopped almonds(plain - not roasted)
- aprox 1 cup chopped peanuts(plain- not roasted)
- aprox 1 cup chopped sunflower seed(plain-not roasted)
- aprox 2-3 cups jumbo flame raisins(non GMO)
- Cinnamon if you want - I did - not sure how much, I just dump some in to taste


So theirs no rules here, I measured by what looks good, other good nuts are walnuts, cashews, to make a little sticky use dates(ground up). The more nuts the more crumbly your granola will be, wheat bran will add some stickiness, you chose to use large or fine oats, all nuts are unroasted cause your roasting them when baking the granola. Coconut also comes fine or course shred, I like course as it binds the granola together. Again all unsweetened, no salt!!


SO I missed one step(picture taking), putting it all together. Basically start with oats and dump the rest in, start to mix it. You can mix by hand, or with a food processor, if using a processor mix well by hand first.


Once the dry mix is well mixed together you need to add your liquid, I use one kind, PC apple cider, but try grape, pineapple, orange whatever you like. Now people add honey, agave, maple syrup etc. you can I don't, no added sugars of any kind plenty sweet already. Honey etc will make it sticky like store bought and of course add sweetness.


I use about a cup or two apple cider, add some mix it in good, add more if needed, you want to be able to make a ball that holds together, wheat bran will make it stickier if used.


So now you have a moist granola mix, I then add shredded apple, 2 organic apples seems to be enough, but if you like more add more, apple will keep it moist, and tastes good too. If you add the apple last all the dry stuff does not stick to the apple and then it stays in shreds

Now your ready to spread on a baking sheet, if yours is sticky, use wet hands to spread it out. I spread about 1/4-1/2" thick, thinner cooks faster

Now your ready to bake it, I use convection bake at 300, but you can use normal bake. I start with 20 minutes, keeping an eye on it

After 20 min, I pull it out and mix it up, basically overturn slabs of sticky granola, or if its on the drier side, small bits, to very loose granola, either way mix it up so it cooks even, you may notice the bottom has browned nicely. Cook another 15-20, depending on how you like it, soft or crunchy. Check on it every few minutes. Also remember when you take it out the hot pans will cook it further.

So your done when its browned. Pull it out the oven and let cool till just slightly warm and then bag it. I bag mine slightly warm as whatever moisture is left seems to evenly distribute through the whole bag. Also a tip, it drys out as the week goes on, so if you like it moist for the hole week, make it moisture to start.

Thats a big ole sack of granola right there, lasts us a week. This tastes better as it cools, when warm the flavors don't seem as good? so let cool then try it. Great snack at work, the high fiber keeps you full feeling in between meals, lowers cholesterol, cleans out the system, provides energy and other nutrients. And you can add anything, blueberry's, raspberry's, cranberry's if adding fruit, do not buy bulk barn dried berries, unfortunately there loaded with sugar, get the frozen PC brand.


All in all takes about a 1/2 hr to mix, a hour oven time. If you make this post here to let me know how it went, what you added etc.