DIY (do it yourself) Granola

I love granola in the summer. I can’t take my usual English muffin and one-egg omelet when it’s hot outside. Granola has always been a problem for me – I am not a fan of raisins. I’m a firm believer that the best use of grapes is for making wine. I was at my neighbor’s house a few months ago, and she was cooking up a batch of granola – we joked about what a total hippie she is – I mean, making granola-who does that? But I decided recently to make my own granola, using Mark Bittman’s How To Cook Everything Vegetarian as my guide. The great thing about making your own granola is that you can make it just the way you like it – so you won’t find any raisins in the one that I make.

• 6 cups of rolled oats – NOT instant or quick-cooking
• 2 cups of nuts and seeds
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• dash salt
• 1/2 to 1 cup of honey or maple syrup
• 1 cup (chopped) dried fruit

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place a 9×13 pan over 2 stovetop burners, add the oats and cook 3-5 minutes, stir frequently so they don’t burn. Cook until they smell fragrant and change color. Then add the nuts and seeds and continue to cook for 2 more minutes – stir frequently so nothing burns. Turn off the heat, then add the cinnamon, salt, and sweetener. Stir to blend then bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Stir once or twice while baking to prevent granola from sticking to bottom of pan. Remove from the oven, add the dried fruit, and cool on a rack. Stir occasionally until granola comes to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container. Bittman says you can store it in the fridge indefinitely, but since we eat it everyday, we go through it pretty fast.

So far, I liked a mix of sliced almonds and pecans, but I like to change it every time I make it, depending on what I have on hand and what I find in the store. I always use a blend of honey and syrup – 1 cup, because I like it a little sweet. I love blueberries and cranberries for this – a great dose of antioxidants to start the day.  Last week when I made a batch, I measured out extra oats and nuts and berries and put them in separate containers so they will be ready to go the next time I make it.

Fat-free greek yogurt and a little drop of honey on this keeps me going all morning!