I don’t mean to brag, but my homemade granola has convinced a family of
devoted sugar-frosted-cereal eaters to embrace my vision of “a good way to start
the day.” I must admit, though, that I spent quite a bit of
time throwing together mediocre batches of the breakfast
food before I finally hit on what I believe to be a
great combination of ingredients (including
…molasses and honey for added body …and a
goodly dose of energy-giving nuts, seeds, and dried fruit).
One of the basic secrets of making tasty granola is mixing
the ingredients well, so when you set out to try this
recipe, conduct the operation in a very large
bowl or pan. Or, lacking that, in your (clean and wiped!)
kitchen sink. Also, it’s best to combine the wet and dry
ingredients separately before stirring them together
thoroughly.
First, blend 6 cups of old-fashioned (not
quick-cooking) oat flakes, 2 cups of roasted soy splits, 2
cups of raw sunflower seeds (use 4 cups of the seeds if soy
splits aren’t available), 2 cups of wheat germ, 1 cup of
bran, 1 1/2 cups of milk powder, 2 teaspoons of sea salt,
and 3 tablespoons of cinnamon.
Then, in a separate bowl, blend 3/4 cup of molasses, 1/2
cup of honey, 1 cup of unrefined peanut oil, and 3
tablespoons of vanilla extract.
Now, combine the two mixtures well, spread the granola on
large, flat pans, and bake it in a 250°F oven (a
higher temperature will scorch the outside of the
cereal before its inside is done). Stir the mixture occasionally
until it turns just barely brown. At that point, dump the
toasted treat out onto your clean-paper-covered kitchen
table and add 2 cups each of coconut, raw cashew pieces,
and raisins or diced dates. While the healthful fare is
still warm, put it into tightly sealed containers, where
it’ll keep for ages (though the food is much too delicious
to hang around your house for very long). You’ll
find this comestible a great morning cereal, a perfect
snack, and an excellent topping for fruit salad, ice
cream, or apple crisp!
EDITOR’S NOTE: You can use this recipe as a line trail
food. More of such carry along edibles are described
in “Modern Trail Food.”
