Healthy Honey Granola

If you have celiac or are extremely sensitive to gluten, you’ll want to use certified gluten free rolled oats. These have become so common that even Walmart is selling them these days. If you are not overly sensitive to gluten, then you can use conventional rolled oats. That’s what I use.

This is a very basic recipe. You can add dried fruit or nuts or seeds and make your own version. You can add up to 1 cup of dried fruit, although 1/2-cup is good too. If you’re adding nuts, then 1/2 to 1-cup will be plenty. Nuts can be added along with the oatmeal, but fruit should not be added until after the granola is finished baking and mostly cool. The fruit dries out if it’s baked and hurts to chew.

I store this in a quart-sized canning jar on my pantry shelf. My favorite way to eat it is with dairy-free yogurt. Yum! It’s pretty good just with a bit of milk and some sliced fruit on top too.

Healthy Honey Granola

• 1/4 cup dairy-free margarine, melted
• 1/2 cup honey
• 4 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
• dried fruit, seeds or nuts, optional

First get out a large saucepan.  In it heat the margarine and honey until the margarine melts.  If desired, you can also do this in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. When the margarine and honey are nicely melted together, stir in the oatmeal, cinnamon and salt. I prefer to use quick oats in this recipe, but old fashioned oats will work pretty well too. After mixing until the oats are well coated, turn the mixture into a large cookie sheet, the kind with sides. Bake the mixture at 300° for about 20 to 30  minutes. Stir the sides (which will brown quickly) into the center every 5 minutes or so. This will ensure even browning. After baking you can add dried fruit or nuts  as desired. A cup of raisins is sufficient. Be sure not to add the fruit until the oats are done baking. If you bake the raisins or other dried fruit, they will turn into evil tooth-destroying-nuggets-of-pain. The heat from the oven dries them out, making them inedible. Only add dried fruit to granola after it is done cooking.

Makes about 4-1/3 cups, or 13 servings; 1/3 cup each.

Assuming 1/3-cup serving; Prepared without any extra dried fruit or nuts.

Per Serving: 167 Calories; 5g Fat (26.5% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 84mg Sodium.

Calories By Percentage: 27% Fat; 64% Carbohydrate; 9% Protein

Exchanges: 1-1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.