I love friends who experiment with healthy recipes and share their very best with me. Below is a fantastic granola recipe that my beloved friend John shared with me years ago. Here’s the deal on this recipe… it’s addictive. I mean, really addictive. So, you’ll want to make a big batch of this because it’ll be a delicious snack, breakfast meal, sprinkled on ice cream, etc. Trust me, don’t halve this recipe, even though it seems like a lot to make!
Instructions:
In a bowl, mix the following goodness together
Ingredients:
- 8 cups whole oats
- 2 cups ground unsweetened coconut
- 1 cup cashew pieces
- 1 cup sesame seeds
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup flax meal
- 1 cup walnut or pecan pieces
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- Throw some wheat germ in for good measure
- 1 cup raisins (NOTE: These and the dates are to be added after the SECOND COOK CYCLE. See below for details.)
- 1 cup chopped dates (optional)
- Then add anything else you want. Other kinds of nuts? Sliced almonds? Cinnamon or other spices? Go ahead! Lots of leeway here.
- 2 cups Adam’s natural peanut butter (softened for stirring)
- 1 cup honey (omit for less sweet)
- 1 – 2 cups warm water (add just enough water so that the ingredients can be compressed into a sticky ball)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 275.
2. Scoop out ingredients onto two separate large cookie sheets. Gently press and spread granola as you would bar cookie batter, making sure to evenly distribute and cover the cookie sheet.
3. Place cookie sheets in the oven for 15 minute intervals.
4. After each interval, remove granola and use a pancake flipper (that’s John’s term for spatula 🙂 ) to turn granola.
5. Break up granola to the chunkiness you desire along the way. After the second 15 minute cook cycle, add raisins or Craisins or dates (or all of them) to the granola BEFORE your turn it.
6. After the third fifteen minute cooking cycle, remove granola and allow to cool for an hour or so.
7. Place in your favorite air-tight container and eat whenever the hell you desire (as long as you are regularly exercising).
Thanks, John! I’ll see you at the table!