Granola

Quite a few years ago, my husband was looking for a healthy breakfast he could take with him to work.  Yogurt and granola fit the bill except for the amount of fat in most commercial granolas and the fact that he really doesn’t like dried coconut which is ubiquitous in most preparations.  As a result, I decided to experiment with a granola that would be low in fat, high in fiber and did not contain coconut.  The recipe quickly became a favorite of David’s and of both of our daughters.  I now make it in four pound batches just to keep up with their demand.  The recipe below makes two pounds, but can be doubled if you have more than one sheet pan.

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs. of thick or extra thick rolled oats (not steel cut)

½ cup of dark brown sugar

¼ cup of chopped pecans (or more or less to taste)

¼ cup of slivered or sliced almonds (more or less to taste)

½ cup of canola oil (or other neutral vegetable oil)

½ cup of honey

a pinch of salt

Dried fruit (cranberries, cherries, apricots, blueberries, and banana chips) OPTIONAL

PREPARATION:

1.  Preheat oven to 275 deg. F.

2.  In a large bowl, using your hands, mix together the oats, the brown sugar and nuts.

3.  Add the oil, honey and the pinch of salt.  Switching to a large, sturdy wooden or metal spoon, mix until the oil and honey are thoroughly distributed throughout the mixture and there are no large clumps (a few small ones are fine).

4. Place the granola on a sheet pan or other large oven-safe shallow pan with sides.

5. Cook for 30-50 minutes depending on how toasty you like it (Sarah prefers lighter, Kate likes hers quite dark).

6.  Immediately upon removing from the oven, using a spatula or large spoon, transfer the granola to a large bowl or storage container to cool.  If you leave it on the pan, it will stick terribly.  Stir the granola every 10-15 minutes as it cools so that it stays separate.

7.  Once it cools, add dried fruit if you wish.