This is my favorite recipe for Granola. I’ve been making it since the early 1980’s. It’s cheap, sturdy, fool-proof and it always turns out. The only problem you might encounter is trying to cook the dry fruit with the granola. Don’t do that. It makes the fruit too dry to eat and makes it too hard to chew. If you want to add dry fruit, then do so after baking the granola. If you want to add nuts, you can add them along with the oats, or you can add them after the granola is done baking.
This is the perfect granola recipe to play around with if you want to add extra goodies to fancy it up. If you are trying to get more protein in your diet, then add 2-cups of textured soy protein (TVP or TSP) along with the oats. You don’t taste the soy in the granola, but it makes it extremely high in protein, great breakfast for kids who don’t get enough protein at breakfast.
If you don’t want to use honey, you can use corn syrup, which is far cheaper, or you can try another liquid sweetener such as maple syrup, agave, brown rice syrup, or even molasses. Barley Malt is good too, but it contains gluten. It is however, wheat free, if that’s a concern of yours.
Honey Granola
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup dairy-free margarine
- 1/2 cup honey or other liquid sweetener of your choice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup raisins or nuts, optional
In a large saucepan melt the margarine over medium heat. Add the honey or corn syrup, or some of each to equal 1/2-cup. Honey is easiest to measure in a well oiled measuring cup. Otherwise, just scoop the last of it out of the cup with a clean finger or spoon. Heat the honey briefly with the margarine and then add the oatmeal. Stir it up nicely. It smells really good. Turn the mixture onto an ungreased cookie sheet, the kind with shallow sides; a large 9 by 13-inch pan works well too. Spread the granola out evenly and bake it at 300° for 25 to 30 minutes. Stir it now and then to make sure it cooks evenly. It should be a toasty brown when done. Now remove it from the oven and allow it to cool and crisp up right there in the pan. Store it in a clean coffee can or sealed canister. Add the nuts and dried fruit, if you are using them, when the granola is cool. Serve it with non-dairy milk like regular cereal, or if you are hankering for a divinely inspired treat, get a big bowl of plain Togurt, and sprinkle a large handful of granola on top of it. Mmm, very tasty. Sliced bananas are good with this too.
If you want to experiment with adding extra goodies to your granola, then this recipe is the best one to play around with. Add 2 to 3-cups of extra items such as cornflakes, oat bran, Rice Chex, shredded coconut, brown rice flour, corn meal, soy flour, textured vegetable protein, sliced or chopped nuts, or anything else that trips your trigger or haunts your pantry. This type of experimentation takes thoughtful care, but the results can be very good.