How To Make: Homemade Granola

As soon as I posted photos of my homemade granola I started to get requests for the recipe on Facebook and Instagram. Here you go folks, it’s a recipe so easy even I can do it.

Within hours of making it the boys (all three of them) had put a sizable dent in it and it was gone within a couple days.

What you will need:

4 Cups rolled oats

1 Cup sliced almonds (I used the Vitamix to grind whole almonds)

1 Cup raw sunflower kernels

1 Cup whole flax seed

1/3 Cup vegetable oil

1/2 Cup honey

1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

How it’s done:

1) Preheat the oven to 300.

2) In a large bowl mix oats, almonds, sunflower kernels, and flax seed together. In a second bowl mix oil, honey, vanilla, and cinnamon, add to the dry mixture and mix well. Spread mixture on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

3) Bake for about ten minutes, remove from oven and stir. Return to the oven and bake for another ten minutes or until golden brown.

4) Remove from oven and let cool completely. As the granola cools, squish clumps together. Once cooled store in airtight container.

What I’m going to try next time:

While this granola was REALLY tasty, I think it could use more honey. Next time I’m going to try less oil and more honey. I’d like it with a little more cinnamon flavor too.

To add a little to the nutrition factor I’m going to try it with chia seeds.

We love Craisins around here so I want to try adding some to the next batch. Any dried fruit should be added towards the end to avoid burning.

If you want to add chocolate chips wait until you take the granola out of the oven so it doesn’t melt.

The great thing about granola is that you can add just about anything that you and your family enjoy, the sky is the limit.

For dessert, instead of ice cream I sat with a bowl of vanilla yogurt with a few tablespoons of granola mixed in. It was a bowl of sweet, crunchy yumminess. I also added some to my multigrain Cheerios for an extra kick.

Granola is healthy and VERY tasty but mind your portions or it’ll have you packing on the pounds.

Have you made your own granola? How did you do it? I’d love it if you’d share your recipe with me so I can give it a try.