Hi Eileen --

This recipe for Maple Apricot Granola from epicurious (actually from Gourmet Magazine) is outstanding! It is hands down my favorite granola recipe...

Here is a link that might be useful: Maple Apricot Granola

GRANDMA'S CRUNCHIES

8 cuips oatmeal
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup corn meal
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt

Mix dry ingredients together. Melt butter and add the last 5 ingredients Pour over dry mixture and stir well. At this point you may add 1/2 cup coconut, nuts, sunflour seeds, etc. Spread mixture on large cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool. Rasins, chopped dry fruit or dates may be added after baking. Store in covered container.

This recipe is rather inexpensive, yet good and nutritious. Change it with whatever you have on hand.

I make this version of Alton Brown's granola recipe every week for my husband's breakfasts. It's really easy, tastes good, and the flavor can be changed by using different extracts and different dried fruits. I buy the nuts at Trader Joe's.

Granola

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup unslated cashew pieces
1 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts
1 cup unsweetened large-flake coconut
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1/2 teaspoon maple or almond extract (optional)
1 cup dried fruit of choice (I omit the fruit)

Preheat oven to 250 degreees.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.

In a smaller, separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, salt, & extracts (if using). Combine both mixtures and pour into 1 sheet pan (jelly roll pan).

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes to achieve an even color. (My husband likes the granola really toasty, so I usually bake it for 1-1/2 hours.)

Remove from oven and cool slightly. Transfer granola into a large bowl, add dried fruit and mix until evenly distributed. Store in airtight container.

Funny reason why I decided to make Granola is because I bought some nice variety of nuts at Trader Joes thanks very much all 3 look great!

Eileen this isn't yet T & T by me, but rather was tried by my friend Lynne when I showed her the recipe.

* Posted by canarybird (My Page) on
Wed, Jul 12, 06 at 9:00

Okay hereÂs one from the low Glycemic Index Recipe Book:

GI GRANOLA

1 1/2 cups (7 oz) jumbo porridge oats
1 x 40 oz pack of dried apple rings, chopped OR 2/3 cup (3 oz) dried cranberries or 1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz) unsalted sunflower seeds
1/3 cup (2 oz) sesame seeds
1/3 cup (2 1/2 oz) chopped almonds
1/4 cup (2 oz) ground flaxseeds or linseeds
1 TBS ground cinnamon
2 teasp grated orange zest
1/2 teasp sea salt
1 large egg white
1 TBS vegetable oil
1 TBS clear honey
2 teasp frozen orange juice concentrate
1 teasp vanilla essence

1. Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Mix together in a large bowl the oats, apple, sunflower seeds,sesame seeds, almonds, flaxseeds or linseeds,cinnamon, orange zest and salt.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg white, oil, honey, orange juice concentrate and vanilla essence. Pour this into the oat mixture and toss until thoroughly coated. Turn out onto a shallow baking tray lined with nonstick parchment and spread evenly. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, turning the mixture once with a spatula halfway through baking time, or until mixture is golden brown.

Store in an airtight container for 2 days at room temperature or freeze for up to one month.

Source: Adapted from Rick Gallop's GI Diet Green-Light Cookbook

My Comments: I still haven't made this yet as we don't see frozen orange juice concentrate here but I hope to make it with fresh juice.
My friend Lynne made this and says it's delicious!

SharonCb

And from the same book, Granola Bars:

GRANOLA BARS - Makes 16 bars

1 1/3 cups wholewheat flour
sweetener - equivalent to 1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup wheat bran
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup apricots - finely chopped
1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup apple juice
3 low-cholesterol (omega 3) eggs
2 tsp vegetable oil

1. Line a shallow 8 x 12 inch baking dish with parchment paper.

2. Mix the flour, sweetener, baking powder, bran and spices in a large bowl. Stir in the oats, apricots and sunflower seeds.

3. Mix the applesauce, apple juice, eggs and oil, and add to the flour mixture.

4. Pour into the baking dish and spread evenly.

5. Bake at 400F for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool and cut into bars.

Source: The Glycemic Index Diet - The Easy, Healthy Way to Permanent Weight Loss.
Rick Gallop © 2002

SharonCb

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Granola
=======
I don't follow a recipe so each time I make it it is a little different. I don't measure anything either. Basically I use regular oatmeal as the base and add a couple of other types of oats. Mix in coconut, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds, walnuts, sliced almonds, and then toss with a mixture of honey, real maple syrup, orange juice and a little canola oil with a little cinnamon and vanilla added. Once it is all mixed well spread it on two cookie sheets and bake in a 350°F oven for about 20 to 25 minutes until golden. I rotate the pans and I stir the mixture 3 or 4 times so that it toasted evenly. When it is golden, I remove it from the oven, put it into a large bowl and mix in dried canberries, wild dried blueberries, yellow raisins and some cut up dates.

Let it cool before storing either in a glass jar or zip lock bags.

wow that looks delicious!!!!

I like the addition of pumpkin seeds in so many of the recipes. I'll have to add some next time I make granola (another trip to Trader Joe's). I might try some sunflower seeds too. I don't use seasme seeds because I like chunkier & bigger pieces of "stuff" in the cereal. All the recipes look good.

Hi Shambo --

The maple apricot granola recipe I posted actually has both pumpkin and sunflower seeds in it (in addition to almonds)... So you might want to give that one a try!

Emily

I use whatever fruits, nuts, seed, and rolled grains I have, but this is the basic recipe I've used for years...

* Exported from MasterCook *

Lloyd's Granola

Recipe By : Katie
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
6 c rolled oats
1 c coconut
1 c wheat germ -- * see note
1/2 c cashews -- ** see note
1/2 c sesame seeds -- ** see note
1/2 c oil
1/2 c honey
1/3 c water
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp salt
raisins and/or other dried fruits

Mix oil, honey, water, vanilla and salt and pour over dry ingredients. Mix well. Bake at 300F for about 1/2 hour, until dry, mixing often. Cool and add raisins and/or other dried fruits.

* you can also use bran or rolled wheat.
** use any nuts or seeds

Thanks for the recipes. I'm having a little brunch on Saturday and was thinking that a package of Granola could be a nice "party favor" - packaged in a gift bag tied with a ribbon at each plate.

Emily, I'm really intrigued with the addition of crystallized ginger in that recipe. It sounds like such a unique flavoring addition. I had a recipe once for gingerbread flavored granola, but now I can't find it. I'd love to experiement a bit more with small batches just for me. I don't think my husband would enjoy the ginger addition as much as I would.

Woodie, the gift bags sound like such a cute idea. I have several friends who are not very good or creative cooks. I always want to make something edible for them, but I'm not much of a cake or cookie type baker. I think homemade granola would be a perfect gift. It's chock full of oatmeal & nuts, it's tasty, and it can make a healthy meal or snack.

Hi Shambo --

Let me know if its good with crystalized ginger -- I must admit I've always made the recipe without, since while I really love ginger I typically find crystalized ginger a little strong for my taste... Come to think of it I should try making that recipe and adding just a hint of ground ginger to it sometime...

Emily

Emily - I made your granola today! Its wonderful - I added the ginger but not as much as it called for - you folks kind of scared me and as I'm giving it as "party favors" for a brunch on Sunday I was afraid that not everybody would like it as much as I do!

The gift bags look very nice - I found some nice colorful flower 'stick ons' in Target and tied the bags with pink tulle and put one on each plate. (I also found some fake rose petals at Target and scattered them around the table top - they look just like the roses I bought for the centerpiece - just call me Martha!)

I'm looking for a recipe for Basic Granola from the Eating More With Less Cookbook. Thanks!

I just Googled exactly what you asked for Valoriegrace and it sent me to this blog with the recipe on it. Since it had the pictures and such I'm just giving you the link. Looks good.

Here is a link that might be useful: Basic Granola from the Eating More With Less Cookbook

Saw this thread and had to post another FANTASTIC granola recipe, that may have actually overtaken the Maple Apricot one I posted previously... This one forms more light crunchy clusters...

Here is a link that might be useful: Fantastic Granola!