As promised, here is my favorite granola recipe. I make a huge batch of this and then store it in mason jars to keep it fresh.....
(*I've made some tweaks as of 3/11 and added them in parenthesis with a "*")
Gypsy Mama's Granola
1/2 c honey
1/2 c maple syrup
1/2 c almond butter (*cashew, coconut butter & peanut butter will also work!)
1/4 cup milk or juice or a combo of both (*orange, apple & nut milks all work fabulous!)
4 Tbsp flour (*I've been using 3 Tbsp of coconut flour!)
1/2 c sunflower or walnut oil (*we started using coconut oil, so good!)
1 tsp vanilla extract (*or any flavor you like, Simply Organic is our favorite, you can make your own vanilla too!)
2 tsp ginger powder (*recently been adding a 1/2 tsp of cardamom too!)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 c coconut flakes
8 cups rolled oats (we've used 1/2 oats & half rolled barley & it worked perfectly)
1/2 c flax meal (*optional)
2 cups nuts ~ cashews, walnuts & almonds are our favorite. (* we started using 1 c nuts & 1 c seeds. We love sesame, sunflower & poppy)
~Mix together honey, maple syrup, almond butter, oil, water, vanilla & spices over medium heat until smooth. Stir flour and flax meal/seeds into the honey mixture. Mix oats, coconut & nuts into large bowl. Slowly add syrup mixture stirring until well coated. Spread thinly onto cookie sheet and bake at 350 stirring every ten minutes until granola is golden brown, approximately 30 minutes. Store in airtight jars after cooled thoroughly.
**If you don't like nuts, flax or coconut, don't add them! Feel free to adjust the spices & sweetness to your personal taste. And if you like raisins or or other dried fruits, toss 1-2 cups in with the granola once it has cooled. We love cranberries & cherries, but raisins are the best budget fruit to add. We've also been adding a TBSP of raw hemp seeds to our yogurt & granola.... and our oatmeal. Delicious!
Serve with homemade yogurt, of course! (It's almost as yummy as oatmeal.)
Happy Monday :-)
