Homemade Fruit-and-Nut Granola

In celebration of my new Instagram name (@bandana_jana, follow me if you are so inclined!) I decided to make a huge batch of granola. That's only partially true. I did, of course, want to justify my holiday habits by using them as an excuse to celebrate my new, more animated Instagram username, but homemade granola is something I've wanted to attempt for a while. Friends, including my boss, have suggested to me that I make my own granola, but a part of me didn't really believe them when they told me that it would be a) easier, b) cheaper, c) tastier and d) healthier than your average, store-bought granola. Turns out all of the above are true! Homemade granola takes a mere 15-20 minutes in the oven, contains less sugar (usually, this does not hold true if you put a great amount of sugar/sugary things in the granola), is totally customisable (e.g. if you don't like raisins - rejoice! You DON'T have to put raisins in it!), and is generally made with non-perishable items that are cheap to buy in large quantities (this does not hold true if you like saffron and caviar in your granola). This particular granola is a relatively simple recipe, and I should emphasise that its flavouring is totally substitutable - you can use whatever oats you like, whatever sugary thing, oil, nuts, fruit, spices or lack thereof you like! I should also mention that this recipe is gluten-free and vegan (gluten content depends on the oats used!) Enjoy, experiment, and if you have any revelations about granola you wish to share, let me know in the comments!

Fresh out of the oven!

With some fresh, natural
yoghurt

Recipe makes this much granola, i.e. fills a bag about the size of my head. 

NB: I have a rather large head. 

Granola + bandana = happy hippy

Ingredients:

Measurements are for whimps, but I'll list these in the order of how much of the recipe consisted of them, from most to least.

Oats - I used Flahavan's Jumbo Oats, an Irish staple, keeping country folk and urbanites well-fed since 1785.

Chopped walnuts

Almond flakes

Pumpkin seeds

Sunflower seeds

Mixed, dried berries (blueberries, cranberries, raisins, goji berries)

1-2 tbsp canola/rapeseed oil

1-2 tbsp honey

1 tablespoon of ground seed mix (optional!)

1 teaspoon nutmeg and cinnamon

Method:

Preheat oven to about 150ºC/300ºF. Line a large cookie sheet with baking paper, or foil. 

In a large mixing bowl, blend oats, nuts, whole seeds, spices, oil and honey and mix well.

PRO-TIP: Be careful NOT to add the fruit or ground seeds as they are prone to either dry out excessively, or even burn. Add them last!

Spread blended mixture over the cookie sheet and place in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes (my oven either takes forever or burns things to a crisp, so the way to gauge whether the granola is finished is check whether it is golden brown, and nice and crunchy. If these conditions are applicable to your granola, then - lo and behold - it is complete.)

Remove from the oven, and add the fruit and ground seeds (if using). Allow to cool down, for at least 10 minutes.

Serve to a bandana-clad hippie (i.e. send me some), and then save the rest in your pantry/granola storage unit.