Is life too short for making your own granola? Apparently not, for I have some gently baking in the oven right now.
I’m not quite sure why I became obsessed recently with the idea of making my own granola. I don’t even eat shop bought granola, so why suddenly crave making some? Perhaps my brain is trying to tell me that my body needs some of those nutty nutrients? Or perhaps I’ve missed that crunchy oaty goodness? Does it matter why I had this craving, this obsession? Not really, all that matters is whether or not the final outcome is a success.
And by the oaty, nutty, honey smell I suspect it might be.
This is hardly cooking. Or not as I know it. It is combining some ingredients and leaving them be for a while. Really, that is all it is. I’d say a monkey could do it, but I suspect a monkey would be distracted and would eat some of the ingredients before combining them. Then you’d have one fat monkey and a bowl with some porridge oats in it. And everyone knows you can’t sprinkle a fat monkey on yoghurt. Not without making a real mess anyway.
Granola
Preheat oven to Gas Mark 1 or 2, about 150C …
- 2 cups porridge oats
- 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
- 2-3 TBsps sesame seeds
- 3/4 cup roughly chopped mixed nuts – I used almonds and pecans, but hazelnuts would be nice, as would macadamias, or brazils… oh, whatever nuts you like best, but preferably not salted ones (although that salty-sweet combo might be JUST what I want in my granola?)
- a pinch Maldon sea salt
- 1 TBsp rapeseed oil
- 1 large TBsp honey
- about 100ml apple juice
- optional extras: sultanas or dried cranberries, or chopped dried apricots, or really any dried fruit you like or happen to have in the cupboard
- Put the oil, honey and apple juice in a pan and bring to the boil
- Boil gently for 5 – 10 minutes, with no lid on as you want some of the liquid to boil off
- Put all the dry ingredients in a big bowl and mix together. Add more porridge oats if you think it’s too nutty
- Pour the appley liquid into the bowl and mix all together
- Spread out on a baking tray, and put in a low oven for an hour or so.
- Let it cool (without nibbling too much of it) and then mix in any dried fruit you want and put it in an airtight container. A kilner jar would look pretty, but a plastic tub would be just as good, and probably more practical.
Related articles
- Granola: Apparently People Miss Granola! (amberwoodterrace.wordpress.com)
- Granola Eaters. (themomcamera.wordpress.com)
- My attempt at homemade granola bars (similar to Quaker). (stephaniegetsridofhercrap.wordpress.com)
Shewolfinthevalley 
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