Wednesday Food Blogging: Some Granola with That Latte?

Granola goodness, sans Birkenstocks

I know, liberals and granola go together like, soy and latte. But my supply of cold cereal is running low, I can't face another bowl of cooked oatmeal, and there's nothing like the smell of warm granola to make you glad you're a Birkenstock wearing liberal.

Why bother to make your own, when Wild Oats stocks a dozen different blends in the bulk section alone?  Because you can. It takes 15 minutes to dig the ingredients out of the cupboard and toss them together, another five to clean up. In that time I'd barely have found my shoes, keys, and reusable bags.

(Of course, it's a moot point for me. Nothing even close to a Wild Oats or Whole Foods here, much less Vitamin Cottage. Yeah, I miss the States sometimes, usually when I'm in my kitchen looking for an ingredient like nutritional yeast.)

Here's how to feed your inner liberal:

Baked Granola

3 cups old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup sliced almonds or chopped pecans
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine
6 tablespoons maple syrup
1 cup dried fruit such as raisins, cherries, or cranberries

Preheat oven to 325° F.

In a large bowl stir together oats, almonds, coconut, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, and salt. In a small saucepan melt margarine with maple syrup, add vanilla and cinnamon. Pour over oat mixture and combine.

Spread granola evenly on two baking sheets (or one large one, if you're in the US and have a large oven). Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes. Cool, and stir in dried fruits. (I forgot and added them earlier; they ended up a bit crunchy.) Granola may be kept in an airtight container up to two weeks, at room temperature.

Serve with fresh fruit, yogurt, or eat plain while on the trail marching for your favorite liberal cause.

Note on ingredients: I used Smart Balance margarine. (Earth Balance is nice too, if you have access to an American-style HFS.) You're on your own if you want to try butter. I used Quaker five-minute oats, and both almonds and pecans, because I can. I used both raisins and cranberries, again, add these AFTER you've baked the granola.

Comments

[Kathy]

I have been looking for the Ultimate Homemade Granola recipe for a while now and have been disappointed. Those bed & breakfast recipes, for example, are always a little off - too sweet, too dry, too oily/crispy, too something. I've never seen a recipe with the Smart Balance or any margarine for that matter. It's usually vegetable oil.

The last time we tried one of the "healthy" margarines was a few years ago. It was yucky. Are they better now?

I'm printing out your recipe and will give it a go one of these days. Thanks.

[Kathy F]

Smart Balance is so good you won't know it's healthy! (Healthier, I should say.) But, it's been years since I had butter, which tastes gross to me now. People say SB is more butter-like, in consistency and color, and maybe taste. I use regular; Lite is fluffier and sometimes doesn't work in recipes.

[Kathy]

Dr. Johnson's definition of "oats:"

"A grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland appears to support the people."

[Kathy F]

HA HA! I haven't tried English oats (or Scottish or Irish) but I look forward to it.

[Nancy]

KathyF, that sounds yummy. I wish I had some right now. And I really love Smart Balance. My 12-yr-old daughter and I both prefer it over butter (which my husband keeps in the house for his cooking).
Hey, Kathy, if you need any ingredients brought to you from the States, let me know. I can supply whatever the luggage limit allows providing spoilage won't occur.

[nmfoodie]

Yo--Back from big culinary festival in Phoenix, butter very much in evidence. I love butter, and olive oil, and I bet Terri would too, could she but speak..what do they cram into that feeding tube, anyway??--Look for a forthcoming Food Museum blog in re Terri--you know this all started because Terri was way fat,and hated her situation, and dieted badly, madly, and was one of those who vomited all, and vomited too much, lost all potassium--that stopped her heart, which stopped flow of O2 to her brain, that led to her severely compromised non functioning noggin. I agree--poor Terri.
Nasty hypocritical pols.......

Let this be a lesson unto us---eat well and be well.

I do try to buy butter created by cows who enjoy pastures and fresh air. And I detest granola. So be it.
Plain shredded wheat, if I must eat cereal at all.