The Best Homemade Granola
October 23, 2007 by Ruth
So…after much experimentation and research, I present to you our family’s favorite homemade granola. I’ve got it packed with fiber and have perfected the recipe to yield crunchy clusters, like store-bought, minus all the additives. Fiddle with your own add-ins…and as usual, my cooking style is less than scientific. Enjoy!
Ruth’s Granola
8 cups multi-grain oats
1 cup flax meal (ground flax seed)
1 cup flax seeds
1 cup oat bran
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup hot water
1/3 cup honey
1 1/4 cups dates
2 ripe bananas
1 cup dried apricots
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups or so cranberries
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup shredded coconut
Preheat oven to 300F. In a blender, puree banana, apricots, and dates. Add hot water, vanilla, honey, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Puree until smooth. Combine oats, flax, and oat bran in large bowl. Coat throughout with oil. Combine with pureed mixture. Add cranberries, almonds and coconut to taste. Spread evenly to about 1/2 inch thickness over three cookie sheets. Place in oven. Stir carefully every 15 minutes until golden and toasty, about 30-45 minutes. Watch carefully, as it will burn. When cool, store in airtight container for two-three weeks, if it lasts that long!
, and am enjoying the opportunity to teach and disciple my children at home. When not busy with family, I love to paint, sew, garden, host teas, cook, play the piano, mentor younger ladies, and redecorate my girlfriends' homes.
This looks FABULOUS! I’m gonna try it.
Now… if I can only find a good granola BAR recipe. You know, the good, kinda chewy type? Got any recipes for those?
BTW, you are very encouraging to me!
Thanks for the time you spend on the blog. Time very well spent!
~KH
Sounds great Ruth, regarding the flax meal, I have flax seeds, what would you suggest as the best way of grinding them. I have heard it is very difficult to do this. Would there be another option for the flax meal. Thank you for your help.
Kim–I have never ground flax seeds myself as they are readily availablee in ground form at Trader Joe’s. The flax meal is really a personal preference for nutrition, but you can also you wheat germ or psyllium husk (although you’d use less of this). Hope that helps!
It is super easy to grind flax seed using a small coffee grinder! If you do it every day, then the ground flax is better and fresher as well!!! Also, just FYI a lot of flax is now coming from China and other countries, where you don’t know the source or how it is grown, stored, etc. It is always better to buy from the small farmers in our own back yard if possible!!! Support American farmers!!!