I include this in the dessert category, for lack of a better location: it is eaten at "colazione" or "merenda", rather than at "dinner." However, it certainly is good on vanilla ice cream!
Ralph liked granola but got very frustrated with the oily, sweet granolas that were the usual kinds sold in markets. So he began a quest to find a recipe that would taste good, have lots of fiber, and was not as oily as the ordinary packaged varieties. Here is the result of that search.
It originated with a recipe created by Suzanne McKinley in Mendocino, and Ralph tweeked it quite a bit to suit his own tastes. I never cared for granola at all, but I did actually eat this from time to time because it really is wholesome and not oily.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of regular oats (not instant or quick-cooking)
- 2 cups of wheat flakes
- 1 cup wheat bran
- 1 cups oat bran
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 cup wheat germ
- 2/3 cup uncooked pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup of big-flake coconut (usually found in health food stores)
- nuts: about 1/2 cup of chopped almonds and cashews, mixed, or other nuts of your choice
- 2/3 cup corn oil
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
In a saucepan combine the corn oil, honey, vanilla and salt. Cook over low heat until honey is melted. Pour over the dry mixture and blend thoroughly.
Spread out in a lightly greased 10 x 15 x 1 inch pan and bake at 300 degrees for 35 - 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool thoroughly and store in an airtight container, preferably glass. Serve with fresh fruit and milk (or.. as mentioned above.. vanilla ice cream!).
The scent of this baking in the oven is heavenly.