I have always loved making my own granola. My next door neighbor Mabel shared with me her recipe for homemade granola back in the 1980's and I started making it then. It was something my family always loved.
Its a highly nutritious cereal and if you can make your own from scratch it is a bazillion times more tastier than anything you can buy in the shops. You get to control the sugars yourself and you get to choose more natural types of sugars than the manufacturers use.
This Olive Oil & Maple Granola is a recipe I small-batched that I found on the Food52 site, attributed to Nekisia David. You can click through to the full sized version if you like. It makes 7 cups.
The Food 52 recipe has also been adapted very slightly from Early Bird Foods' best-selling Farmhand's Choice Granola. It has a beautiful flavor and is loaded with plenty of toasted pecans, two kinds of seeds, and coconut chips.
I love the large flake oatmeal. Its pretty much the only oatmeal I keep in the house, although I do also have some pinhead oatmeal, which I love cooked for breakfast.
You can always blitz the large flaked oats in a food processor to break it down to make a quicker version of oats if you need that. I find large flake oatmeal fulfils almost all of my oatmeal needs.
Once I started making my own homemade granola I was never satisfied with store bought granola again. The difference in taste is phenomenal. It just tastes so much fresher and the oats are always so much crunchier.
You can also adapt it very easily to your own tastes. You can add what nuts you enjoy, or a mix of nuts.
Granola is something that makes a nice wholesome snack as well. You can carry a small bag or container of it in your purse and then you always have something nutritious to help to keep the hungries at bay and make those candy bars less attractive!
You can of course add dried fruit to the mix once it is baked, and I often do, but I find that the fruit can get really dried out so these days I tend to add it when I go to eat it. Much fresher and softer, but a lovely balance of sweet and tart at the same time.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE OLIVE OIL & MAPLE GRANOLA
Very simple store cupboard ingredients. These are really only suggestions. You can use any nut or seed that you wish to use in the same quantities.
- 1 1/2 cups (156g) old fashioned rolled oats
- 3/4 cup (85g) raw pecans, left whole or coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup (80g) hulled raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup (70g) hulled raw sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup (38g) unsweetened coconut chips
- 6 TBS (131g) pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup (50g) packed soft light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
It is important that you use raw and unsalted nuts for this mix. I will often mix two of three different kinds just for variety when I make my granola. Some favorites are pecans (of course), but I am also very fond of macadamia nuts, cashews and walnuts.
Do make sure you use the good old fashioned large flaked oats.
Use only pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup. That is not real maple syrup but corn syrup with a maple flavoring. They are not the same thing. Maple syrup is a natural ingredient and much better for you.
This is one case where I will recommend extra virgin olive oil. It is a place where the flavor of it does make a difference.
The brown sugar I use is an organic one that I buy on Amazon. Sweet Cane Natural Brown Sugar. It is less processed than regular brown sugar.
Did you know that regular brown sugar is just white sugar with molasses added. The more molasses the darker the sugar.
I prefer mine to be a natural brown sugar, not a bleached sugar with molasses added back in. That is just me however, so you go ahead and use whatever brown sugar you want to use.
HOW TO MAKE OLIVE OIL & MAPLE GRANOLA
As I said this is a small batch. It is very simple to make and you won't believe how much more delicious it is than any prepackaged varieties!
Preheat the oven to 300*F/149*C. Have ready a medium sized rimmed baking sheet that you have lined with a piece of baking parchment or a silicone liner.Measure the oats, pecans, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, and coconut into a bowl. Stir in the olive oil, maple syrup, brown sugar and salt. Mix everything well togetherSpread out onto the baking sheet in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.Bake in the preheated oven, stirring every fifteen minutes, for about 45 minutes in total, or until the granola is evenly toasted and golden brown.Taste and add up to 1/4 tsp of extra salt if you think it needs it. Let cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to one month at room temperature.
Trust me when I say that this is so delicious that you will be making more of it before the month is out. Its fabulous eaten out of hand.
Not too sweet, lovely and nutty and beautifully textured.
This is how I usually enjoy my granola. In a small bowl along with a nice dollop of thick unsweetened Greek yogurt and some dried or fresh fruit on the side.
Today it was a nice big soft and lovely Medjool date. Sometimes, if I have any, I will also squirt a bit of date syrup on top. Oh, how I love date syrup. Its not so easy to find here for some reason. I think I a going to have to figure out how to make my own!
As I said, I simply love granola and I love to make many different kinds depending on my mood. Here is one of the different granolas I have made through the years and also a tasty recipe to use your granola in to make your own granola bars!
CHOCOLATE CINNAMON GRANOLA -A filling, fiber filled breakfast alternative that is low in sugars and deliciously high in protein and flavor. This granola is almost half nuts and half oats, with the addition of unsweetened cocoa powder and cinnamon for extra flavor. There is only 1 TBS of maple syrup in the whole recipe. Its a great alternative to the highly processed cereals and ideal for diabetics.
WHITE CHOCOLATE AND CRANBERRY GRANOLA BARS - Children love these and they are a much healthier option than the ready made granola bars you find in the shops. With less fat and sugar and plenty of fiber and protein, you can feel good about making these for the kids and for yourself! A wonderful healthy alternative to cookies and squares and a great snack/meal replacement for when you are on the go.
Yield: Makes 3 1/2 cupsAuthor: Marie Rayner
Olive Oil & Maple Granola
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 55 MinThis is a small batch of one of the most delicious granolas I make. You can swap out the nuts and seeds for other types of nuts and seeds as you wish.Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (156g) old fashioned rolled oats
- 3/4 cup (85g) raw pecans, left whole or coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup (80g) hulled raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup (70g) hulled raw sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup (38g) unsweetened coconut chips
- 6 TBS (131g) pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup (50g) packed soft light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300*F/149*C. Have ready a medium sized rimmed baking sheet that you have lined with a piece of baking parchment or a silicone liner.
- Measure the oats, pecans, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, and coconut into a bowl. Stir in the olive oil, maple syrup, brown sugar and salt. Mix everything well together
- Spread out onto the baking sheet in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven, stirring every fifteen minutes, for about 45 minutes in total, or until the granola is evenly toasted and golden brown.
- Taste and add up to 1/4 tsp of extra salt if you think it needs it. Let cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to one month at room temperature.
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