My Easy Granola Recipe

I should preface this recipe with: I'm not the "chef" in my family.  That would be Mr. Green Stuff.  I am quickly catching up though!  I need things a little less complex (read: easier!) than he does.  Now that I've put that out there, I think you're going to like this.  (My friends keep asking for the recipe at least.)  I tweeked this granola for a few months and now I've got it.  In fact, that jar on the left was full just a few hours ago!

Here's the recipe:

7 cups thick cut oats
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup oat flour
1 cup toasted quinoa
2 cups total of pumpkin seeds, almonds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds (any ratio)

Pinch of salt

¼ cup water
1¼ cups honey
½ cup vegetable oil
        

Mix dry ingredients in large bowl.

Mix wet ingredients in separate bowl, add to dry ingredients, and combine well.

Spread in shallow pans.

Bake at 350F for 15 minutes.

Turn off oven.

Stir granola.

Return granola to oven until oven is completely cool.  (4 hours or overnight)
Store granola in glass jars.

If you don't know how to toast quinoa, thank you!  I had to ask, too.  (And, yes, Mr. Green Stuff knew.)  I rinse my quinoa, squeeze out as much water as I can, then put it in a large skillet on medium heat.  I stir almost constantly with a wooden spoon so nothing sticks to my pan.  You'll know it's toasted when they start to dance around and give off a nutty aroma.  The color will also change to a golden brown.

I used to add 2 tablespoons of vanilla but I forgot once and we liked it better.  If you like your granola sweeter, you might want to add it to the liquids.

Anyway, there you have it.  Nice and easy.  Added bonus: the protein boost from the quinoa!

I like to eat it with seasonal fruit and homemade yogurt.  Let me know when you try it.  How do you top yours?

Peace,

Stacey  

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