One of my simple goals from my urban homesteading list was to make our own breads and granolas. We don’t eat a lot of loaf bread these days, but I do make our tortillas, pizza dough rounds, pastas, and pita breads. Sometimes we buy a new flavor of granola to try something new, but usually, we stick to this recipe. It’s delicious, and it’s Chris and Mackenzie’s favorite snack.
Adapted lightly from the original on Orangette.
Ingredients
3 cups thick-cut rolled oats
½ cup raw walnuts, chopped (or pecans and walnuts, as a variation)
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
Pinch of sea salt
6 Tbsp. wildflower honey (or maple syrup, as a variation)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
½ cup, or more, finely chopped bittersweet chocolate (dark chocolate chips or chopped dark bar chocolate work well)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, sugar, and salt. Stir well to blend.
3. In a small saucepan, warm the honey and oil over low heat, whisking occasionally – watch out! the oil will want to splash – until the honey is loose. Pour over the dry ingredients, and stir to combine well.
4. Spread the mixture evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until golden. Set a timer to go off halfway through the baking time, so that you can give the granola a good stir; this helps it to cook evenly. When it’s ready, remove the pan from the oven, stir well – this will keep it from cooling into a hard, solid sheet – and cool completely. If you make a double batch (highly recommended!) – rotate the pans on the oven racks at this time, too.
When cool, sprinkle the chocolate over the granola and stir lightly. Store in a large jar or plastic bag. Shake or stir to mix. Stir in an airtight container. Best served on its own or with plain milk or yogurt.
Yield: about 5 cups
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