GRANOLA

I can't believe I haven't shared this recipe for granola with you yet.  I've been making this recipe for many, many years, and I never seem to get tired of it.  I mean, it is a good idea to take a break from eating it, I like to rotate what I eat for breakfast.  Most granola recipes only use sweeteners and oils for wetting agents, which I find result in a granola that gets kind of burnt and doesn't stick together in chunks at all.  This one uses water or fruit juice to moisten the oats which results in the odd crunchy cluster.  This may sound strange, but one of my favorite ways of eating this cereal is with rice milk poured all over it, grated apple and blueberries.  I let it sit for about an hour, which makes it all nice and soft.  It is also great in yogurt with berries and apple as well.

MAPLE HEMP NUT GRANOLA

(Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall)

8 cups organic rolled oats (I like to use mostly quick oats with some larger flakes thrown into the mix)

1 cup organic raw sunflower seeds

1 ½ cups organic almonds, chopped

1 cup organic hemp nuts

1 cup organic unsweetened shredded coconut

¼ cup organic flax seeds

1 tsp organic cinnamon, ground

½ cup organic vegetable oil

1 cup local maple syrup

½ cup organic brown rice syrup

2 cups water or organic apple juice/cider

Optional: 1 tsp pure organic vanilla exract

½ tsp pure organic almond extract

Optional additions once the cereal is cooked:  organic raisins, cranberries, goji berries, dried apple pieces

Method:  Preheat oven to 300*.  Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.   Stir the wet ingredients into the dry.  Spread cereal onto two large baking sheets lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven until cereal begins to brown lightly, making sure to stir every 15 minutes or so.  It should take about an hour.  Store in an airtight container, preferably in the refrigerator.