Rando Granola

My dad gave me the base for this recipe - he makes it by the truckload.  I like to make it in smaller batches and vary the ingredients.  You can substitute as you like with this recipe - it's pretty bullet proof.  I like to get most of my ingredients from farmer's markets or Whole Foods (who has the market cornered where I live).  I eat a lot of nuts (don't laugh) so I get them at Costco.

Preheat the oven to 350º

Dry Base

In a large bowl combine:

  • 2 1/2 cups of rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup shaved almonds
  • 1/2 cup of broken up pecans
  • 1/2 cup of broken up walnuts
  • 3/4 cup of flaked unsweetened coconut
  • 1/4 cup of pepitos (pumpkin seeds)
  • 1/4 cup of hemp hearts
  • 1/4 cup of chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup of flax seeds (I grind mine a bit in a coffee grinder first to break them up)
  • 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg 
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Mix these together in a large bowl.

Wet Base

In another bowl combine:

  • 1/2 cup of unrefined coconut oil, melted
  • 1/2 cup of pomegranate juice
  • 2 tablespoons of vanilla
  • 1/4 cup of honey

Mix the wet ingredients together well until the honey is dissolved completely.

Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing them very well.  Then spread the mixture in a thin layer on a high lipped cookie sheet or a shallow 11x17 baking dish.  The layer should not be very thick at all and the thinner the better so use the biggest thing you have available.

Bake the mixture for 20 minutes.  Take the pan out of the oven and stir the granola to mix it up well - it should be browning on top.  Then put it back in the oven for another 20 minutes.  At this point, I check it carefully to make sure that it is evenly browned.  I sometimes stir it again and bake another few minutes if I am not satisfied.

When it is evenly browned, take it out of the oven and let it cool.

To the cooled base add

Dried Fruit - 1/2 to 1 Cup, chopped into raisin sized bits

Combinations I like:

  • Dried Tart Cherries and Cranberries
  • Dried mango and pineapple
  • Golden and Regular Raisins

Store the granola in an airtight container (a zip lock works well).  Unlike store bought, there will not be chunks - it will be loose like muesli.  I like to eat its with additional berries, fruit, greek yogurt or just plain old milk.