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

Coconut-Oatmeal Cereal

I wasn't too sure about this stuff. My kiddos really haven't had any type of coconut, so I didn't know if they would like it! They know what a coconut is, they just haven't really had it! The hubs is NOT a fan of it and I'm, well, it's not my fav, but if it's cooked or in something, just a little bit of it, then I'll eat it. But to have it all over a cake just sprinkled on, most likely I won't eat it...

So that being said, I went for it making this oatmeal cereal. It's really easy to make and you just store it in a zip lock baggie.

I've been trying to make more cereal and oatmeal (and other things) for the kiddos for breakfast lately. I mean, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You do need to start your kiddos off on the right foot, right?

I'm not gonna lie, mornings are pretty tough around here. Granted, they are getting oh so much better! My little man was getting up at 5 and wouldn't go back to sleep... I don't roll like that! Now if coffee would work for me, then maybe, but I was only getting about 2 to 3 hours of sleep a nite, he was up during the nite too. I would have to rock him back to sleep...

Now he's getting up around 6 to 7, but mostly around 7, which in my book is AWESOME!!!! So, I've been wanting to get up earlier to do some exercises, then do my devos, then shower. That way I'd be ready for my little munchkins and could fix them that nice hot breakfast that they so deserved! Now, I just have to get up earlier... ;) Easier said than done....

Ok, back to the recipe and breakfast...

So this isn't a hot meal, but it is a homemade oatmeal. And it is super easy to make, and the kiddos can pour their own and then put their milk on.



I used half white and half wheat flour


Add the coconut


Then the oatmeal


Then the sesame seeds


Then I added the sugar


Then the water and oil together. Again, I didn't think it was enough water, so I just kept adding a little bit of water at a time. I think I used about 1/2 cup of water and then only 5 tablespoons of oil.... But I honestly don't remember if it was that much water or not.... :\


Here it is after it's been baked. I know, totally yummy looking here, but it really is! The kids LOVED it and it was gone within 3 days! They ate it 3 days in a row and now I guess I better make some more! :)



Coconut-Oatmeal Cereal

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine in a large mixing bowl:

3 cups white or whole wheat flour
2 cups flake coconut
2 cups quick oatmeal
3 tablespoons sesame seed
3 tablespoons water
3/4 cup sugar
5 tablespoons oil
Mix well. Bake in 2 or 3 shallow baking pans until browned, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to produce crumbles of desired size.
Serve as cold cereal.

*I forgot to mention this is from More-with-Less cookbook... ;)
I used half white and half wheat flour
I used more like 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup water, I didn't think it was sticking together enough... So, start out with the 3 tablespoons and just keep adding a little bit til it sticks together a bit...
I used 1/4 cup of sugar and that was plenty! I may not add any the next time...
I also used coconut oil instead of oil
I also used one baking pan, it was kinda full, so I recommend using the 2 pans! ;)