daily granola

I've been eating a lot of granola lately.

My go-to weekday (who am I kidding - nearly everyday!) breakfast is a bowl full of seasonal fruit with some granola and milk.  Because of sensitivities with my tummy, I have had a hard time finding granolas in the market that agreed with me and also tasted delicious.  Much like Goldilocks and her porridge, I thought some granolas were too soft, some too hard.  Most all were too sweet. 

While visiting my parents recently, I decided to take matters into my own hands and make a batch of my own.  In my typical style, I more or less dumped some ingredients in a bowl and hoped for the best.  With just the right sweetness, a hint of warming spices, and the crunch of nuts and oats, we had a winner.  I quickly jotted the recipe on a sticky note, lest I forget this new-found gem.

My parents and I enjoyed a week of happy granola eating before I headed back to my home.  But I left them with that scribbled note.  Who needs a recipe though, really?!  

I've been making a large batch of granola nearly every week since then.  Just like the first day, I throw in some ingredients and cross my fingers.  Considering my profession, one would think I would be a little more precise in my creation.  But once you know the essential components, there is something really comforting in just throwing something together.  Perhaps that is why casseroles are such comfort food: no recipe!

today's granola

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup water

1/3 cup honey 

1/4 cup date paste, optional
(can be made by pureeing dates and a little water in your blender)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon ginger 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

4 cups old fashioned oats

1/2- 1 cup almonds, roughly chopped

1/2- 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

Mix together all of the syrup-phase ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  
It helps to warm this phase; in the absence of a microwave, I melt my butter and warm this phase by placing my metal mixing bowl over a saucepan with simmering water.  The steam will gently (but effectively!) warm it.

Add oats, nuts, and any other ingredients that strike your fancy.

Spread the granola out on a sheet pan.  I like to line the sheet pan with parchment for easy transfer to my storage container, but it is not necessary.

Bake at 275F 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown and delicious.  
Do not stir if you want the granola to form clusters.  

Let cool and break into smaller pieces.  

Store airtight.  
It will keep well for about a month, but I have never had any stay around that long!  

A few tips: 

Hydrating the oats a little bit helps prevent some of the toasty bitterness.  Water, apple sauce, or syrups can be the hydrating portion.  This water also helps the granola to agglomerate (form clumps) in the baking process.

The addition of fat helps to prevent a dry and chalky granola. 

Sugars provide the sweetness, aids in that delicious browning, and makes the granola crispy.  A combination of sugars will give the best results, but is not necessary.  I like to use table sugar (sucrose) and honey (fructose and glucose).

Add whatever suits your mood: sub in some maple syrup, add some dried fruits, fruit purees, nuts, or seeds. Have fun with the process!