Showing posts with label peanuts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label peanuts. Show all posts

Friday, December 10, 2010

Mandy's Crunchy/Clumpy Granola

So I was looking at a few different recipes for granola and didn't find one that actually really clumps together. I LOVE and I mean L-O-V-E to snack on granola! There are days where I don't get to eat lunch, but I will either grab a homemade granola bar or a few handfuls of granola... ok, sometimes both.... But it really gives me that energy that I need to get through the day when I don't have the time to sit and eat lunch.

Sure, I feed my kids, I make them sit down and eat, and I know, I should practice the same thing, but I'm tellin' ya... There just are days when I can not do that!

So after looking at a few recipes and remembering the one that I make ALLLL the time, which is tried and true... It's really good, but it just doesn't make those clumps that I like. So... I experimented and gave some of it away and they told me it was good. Along with my kids, but my kids don't count, they eat anything and like pretty much anything! ;)

You will need a glass Pyrex measuring cup for this, or something that is clear and you can heat in the microwave.

It's how I did my measuring, I know, maybe not the best method, but it worked! :)



3 cups oats, quick cooking is what I used b/c I only have about 50 pounds of it! ;)


Take your clear Pyrex measuring cup and put it any combo of things you want in your granola. I used un-sweetened coconut, a mixture of dried cherries, craisins and diced up dried apples, then to top it off, peanuts, not chopped. Put it in to measure 2 cups, you can use ANY combo of items you want! You could nix the coconut, or just use 1 cup dried fruit and 1 cup peanuts.. whatever you wish, you use! :)


Dump into the bowl with the oats and stir to combine


I then grabbed my 100% PURE Maple syrup.... Dump in about 1/2 a cup in your clear Pyrex measuring cup that you just used...


And then grab your brown sugar. You could use regular, but then it wouldn't be as "healthy"! So I tried using my organic light brown sugar...


I dumped in 2 heaping tablespoons of that stuff... Ya know, grab your soup spoon and use that to measure! ;)


next grab some vanilla... I didn't measure but it was right about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla. (this is the GOOD stuff from Mexico, yummy!!!!)


Ok, by now this is where your measurements should be at. You see it's right under the 1 cup line....


Next I grabbed my coconut oil and filled it to make it to the 1 cup line. So I put in right about 1/4 cup.... Stir it up using a small whisk and pop that whole Pyrex in the the microwave for a minute, just enough to heat it up and get that sugar dissolved. If it still isn't dissolved, put it in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and that should do the trick. But you should be fine after 1 minute! ;)


Dump the liquids over the top of your oats mixture...


Stir to combine....


Place the granola onto a foil covered cookie sheet.


Cover your cookie sheet, but press down the edges, and place in the oven at 250 degrees. Bake for an hour with it covered, then take off the foil and cook for another 15 minutes. Let it cool, then break the pieces apart...


It's sooo easy and sooooooooooooooo good! I just had a bowl of it for my breakfast, so tasty!!! And healthy! ;)



I forgot to take a pic of my "after", so will be making it again and will take a picture! ;)



Enjoy and let me know what you think!! :D

Friday, October 9, 2009

Granola

Since I just posted some pics of Skylar helping me make granola, I thought, what a perfect one to start out with! ;o)

This is a SUPER easy recipe and LOVE letting my kids help me make this! They LOVE to help me bake and cook! You can do a couple different things with this one. You can add it to vanilla ice cream, baked apples/pears/peaches, yogurt, the possibilities are endless! ;o) I also use this granola to make granola bars too! Yummy!!! They are so much more healthy for you than store bought and really are super easy to make!



She thought the food chopper was the COOLEST thing EVER!!!!



Digging out the raisins! I know, the bag is bigger than her! LOVE big bags of raisins!!! :O)



Dumping in the raisins



Helping stir it all together after I put the water/honey mixture in!



LOVE the look of seriousness on her face!



Dumping it on the pan to cook!



All done and SUPER delish!!!! :oP


Homemade Granola

3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup HOT water
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 250d. Combine the oats, flour, sunflower seeds, nuts and raisins in big bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the honey, oil, hot water and vanilla. Stir until its all mixed up thoroughly. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry mixture and stir until well combined. Spread the mixture evenly over a cookie sheet. Place pan in pre-heated over for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from oven, stir it while on pan and let cool. Store in a baggie or Tupperware.



I use a HUGE bowl that my parents got me many years ago. I LOVE using it and it's great for when the kids stir!!! :O) Also, you can add other things to this recipe. Like coconut, dried apricots, dried apples, dried cranberries, dried strawberries. Like I said, the possibilities are endless for this recipe!! I am going to dry some apples and do apples and raisins and then make granola bars with that combo. This is great in the morning with cold milk over it! Man, making me hungry, gonna have to go and eat some now!
ENJOY!!!!!!