Nina's Healthy Granola

MamaMeag's Note:

This is a recipe that I got from my wonderful friend. It's one of those granola recipes that you can easily tweak to fit your personal choice of tastes. If you don't like wheat germ, try flax meal. Not a coconut fan? Leave it out. And you can add any type of dried fruit that you like! You can't go wrong with this one. Plus...only 1/3 cup of brown sugar!! Let me know how yours turns out, and what fun takes you have on this recipe! I appreciate your input =)

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 14-28

Yield: 14.0 Cups

• 6 cups oatmeal
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup honey crunch wheat germ (I've done flax meal, too)
• 1 cup coconut
• 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 cups dried blueberries (anything you like) or 1 1/2 cups dried cherries (anything you like) or 1 1/2 cups raisins (anything you like)
• 1 cup dried almonds (etc) or 1 cup cashews (etc)
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil (I use coconut oil)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. In large bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, coconut, nuts and nonfat dry milk.
2. Combine honey, oil, water and vanilla (in separate dish).
3. Add slowly to oat mixture and stir to coat.
4. Turn into 2 large pans (shallow -- like a cookie sheet).
5. Heat in 300 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
6. Stir twice during heating. Stir occasionally while cooling.
7. Add berries, store in tightly sealed containers or bag, and enjoy!

Reviews

[WI Cheesehead]

I am reviewing this for the Fav's of 2009 tag game. I used flaxmeal, 1/2 C sunflower seeds for the coconut, dairy free milk powder, no water (forgot), cashews, coconut oil, 1 T vanilla and 2 C dried pineapple. I cooked for 35 minutes and then left in the oven (without stirring at all) until I got home from picking a kid up. It stuck together a little better that way. Good taste and my DD likes it.

[LifeIsGood]

Originally rated on 12/31/09 - This recipe made it into my book#266453. This is addicting. There just isn't a better way to describe it. I halved the recipe and it still made A LOT. I opted to use ground flax meal instead of the honey crunch wheat germ, since it was what I had on hand. I used craisins for the dried berries. Since I didn't have coconut oil, I used canola. For the nuts, I used chopped cashews. 20 min. in the oven was the perfect timing here. The recipe, for us, was outstanding. I love knowing that I have made a healthy snack that everyone in our family loves! In fact, they can't stop eating it. Hmm..maybe I should have made the full amount, afterall. Delicious recipe. Thank you for posting! ~Made for Fall Pick-A-Chef~

[No Wheat For Me]

This was pretty awesome before baking. It's in the oven now. I used flax, coconut oil, mapler syrup (no liquid honey around) and hazelnuts. The oatmeal may be dicey for some celiacs but I haven't had any trouble with oats so far. Thanks for a GF snack!