It’s June, it’s been raining for a week now which means summer is now officially over and my kids will be going to back to school in a week (it’s the first for my youngest and he is super-excited). My mind for days now is filled with food; healthy foods that I can pack in my kids’ lunchboxes. I like to give my kids something that’s not only very healthy but also something that they will actually eat and not trade with other kids or heaven forbid throw away lol ( nah my kids know that’s a BIG no-no).
I’ve been testing recipes for them, getting their approval if they would like it for baon ( pack lunch/snack). Granola made the list, which made me so happy because this can be really good for them; it’s very healthy I can make it in advance- days in advance and can be incorporated into other snack or breakfast recipes like muffins.
I like Dorie Greenspan’s granola recipe, it’s easy to make and it makes a LOT and although it lasts for many days, I like to make just half a batch then make another half when it’s almost gone, that way our granola is as fresh as possible.
Granola is very easy to make :
put everything in a big bowl ( except for dried fruits, if using) and mix well..
..then spread in a baking pan
..and bake until golden ..and you have —
..granola, honey- sweetened, crunchy and nutty.. perfect for healthy munching!
OATMEAL, HONEY AND NUT GRANOLA
Makes about 4 pounds
Ingredients:
1 pound rolled oats,
3/4 pound honey ( about a cup)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup coconut, preferably unsweetened ( I used low fat dessicated coconut)
5 to 6 cups mixed nuts, whatever upu like, ( I like to use walnuts, almonds and cashew) coarsely chop you can leave them whole, too
Directions:
Dried fruits (or chocolate, or licorice, or …), as much and whichever you like, cut into bite-size bits
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and have ready two large rimmed baking sheets lined with silicone baking mats or nonstick aluminum foil. (olive’s note: or cover a baking pan with foil and lightly spray with canola veg oil spray)
Mix all the ingredients together in a big, big bowl. Keep turning the ingredients around so that the honey coats everything. Divide the mix between the two baking sheets and spread it out so that you’ve got even layers.
Bake the granola for 40 to 50 minutes, turning it with a wooden spoon every 10 minutes or so. The turning is extremely important because you want to evenly toast and dry out the granola. If you find that the granola is browning unevenly, rotate your baking sheets front to back and top to bottom (if you’re working on two shelves).
There’s no exact baking time, it depends on your oven, but you want the color to be dark – the cereal won’t have much taste or crunch if it’s not – and you might have to sacrifice a few burnt nuts to get it. Just keep watching, particularly once the color starts to deepen.
Cool the granola on the baking sheets, turning it often as it comes to room temperature. Stir in the dried fruits and store the granola in a covered container away from moisture
♥ Thanks for reading..have a nice day!! 🙂 ♥
Honey-Sweetened Oatmeal and Nut Granola
Ingredients
- 1 POUND ROLLED OATS
- 3/4 POUND HONEY ABOUT A CUP
- 2 TEASPOONS PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
- 1 CUP COCONUT PREFERABLY UNSWEETENED ( I USED LOW FAT DESSICATED COCONUT)
- 5 TO 6 CUPS MIXED NUTS WHATEVER UPU LIKE, ( I LIKE TO USE WALNUTS, ALMONDS AND CASHEW) COARSELY CHOP YOU CAN LEAVE THEM WHOLE, TOO
- DRIED FRUITS OR CHOCOLATE, OR LICORICE, OR …, AS MUCH AND WHICHEVER YOU LIKE, CUT INTO BITE-SIZE BITS
Instructions
- PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 325 DEGREES F AND HAVE READY TWO LARGE RIMMED BAKING SHEETS LINED WITH SILICONE BAKING MATS OR NONSTICK ALUMINUM FOIL. (OLIVE’S NOTE: OR COVER A BAKING PAN WITH FOIL AND LIGHTLY SPRAY WITH CANOLA VEG OIL SPRAY)
- MIX ALL THE INGREDIENTS TOGETHER IN A BIG, BIG BOWL. KEEP TURNING THE INGREDIENTS AROUND SO THAT THE HONEY COATS EVERYTHING. DIVIDE THE MIX BETWEEN THE TWO BAKING SHEETS AND SPREAD IT OUT SO THAT YOU’VE GOT EVEN LAYERS.
- BAKE THE GRANOLA FOR 40 TO 50 MINUTES, TURNING IT WITH A WOODEN SPOON EVERY 10 MINUTES OR SO. THE TURNING IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO EVENLY TOAST AND DRY OUT THE GRANOLA. IF YOU FIND THAT THE GRANOLA IS BROWNING UNEVENLY, ROTATE YOUR BAKING SHEETS FRONT TO BACK AND TOP TO BOTTOM (IF YOU’RE WORKING ON TWO SHELVES).
- THERE’S NO EXACT BAKING TIME, IT DEPENDS ON YOUR OVEN, BUT YOU WANT THE COLOR TO BE DARK – THE CEREAL WON’T HAVE MUCH TASTE OR CRUNCH IF IT’S NOT – AND YOU MIGHT HAVE TO SACRIFICE A FEW BURNT NUTS TO GET IT. JUST KEEP WATCHING, PARTICULARLY ONCE THE COLOR STARTS TO DEEPEN.
- COOL THE GRANOLA ON THE BAKING SHEETS, TURNING IT OFTEN AS IT COMES TO ROOM TEMPERATURE. STIR IN THE DRIED FRUITS AND STORE THE GRANOLA IN A COVERED CONTAINER AWAY FROM MOISTURE