Adventures in Granola Making. .

I'm into making Granola at the moment. Here's my latest recipie (I actually have never made the same batch twice, Granola is quite easy to personalize. . but the basic start I use is this:

BUILD YOUR OWN GRANOLA. . . It's an art, not a science. . .

4 cups of regular oats (I actually the like texture of a "six grain" oat mix better with (Wheat, Rye, Barley flakes. . it's a little more crunchy)

THEN add whatever you like. . I usually add:
1/3 (ish) Cup flax seed meal
1/3 (ish) Cup wheat bran
1/3 (ish) coconut
1/3 (ish) sunflower seeds, slivered almonds, chopped pecans, sesame seeds, whole flax seeds (whatever sounds like fun)
3 TBL turninado sugar (if you like)

I like this mix as the "glue"
3/4 C pineapple juice
1/2 C apple juice

boil this until it reduces to about 2/3 Cup. And 1/4 Cup honey, (Or I usually add Agave Nectar instead, it's a bit sweeter than honey, so I put less, and Agave is thiner than honey, so the "pour factor" is easier) I've also added a couple tablespoons of peanut butter (which is good).

Add the juice mixture to the oat mixture, stir well, then spread on a jelly roll pan and bake at 325 for about 40 minutes. . stir it a couple of times during the cooking. (this too you have to watch and adjust as needed, I over cooked one batch and it wasn't as yummy)

I always add dried fruit at the end, after the cooking is done. . .I'm still working through memories of my "nanas" granola with COOKED Raisins.. I just don't like them cooked. . . they get a bit hard and burned. . anyway,

WHEN IT's COOL ADD:

some. . mixed dried fruit (I have a mix with apricots, rasins, pears, peaches, apples,that is all chopped up really small, it works great and tastes yummy)
I've also added banana chips (I crunch them up a bit), dried mango, cranberries. . really whatever sounds good!

Store in an airtight container. . one batch usually lasts about a week. SOOO easy and so much fun, each batch is completely different and yummy in yogurt or milk, or just by the handful!! :)