The following recipe was originally published on RebelGrain.com
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My mom’s dad was addicted to granola when I was little. He was a military man – very rigid and regimented, and when we stayed with them I knew one thing for certain: granola and milk would be my breakfast.
My grandpa would buy dozens of boxes of granola at a time. He bought the exact same brand and exact same flavor, and I could always count at least six boxes at a time being perfectly stocked side by side in the overflowing pantry. (I chuckle as I think of him standing in front of the dozens and dozens of granola options we have available today… how would he have decided?)
But anyway, with all that said, I guess you could say I have a special spot in my heart for granola… and for the sweet memories of childhood it brings to mind.While I love granola, though, the problem I have with most commercial options (beyond the mere fact they are flat out expensive!) is they are filled with sugars, preservatives, and other junk. If you read the labels, it’s quite shocking, actually: some granola has even more sugar than the ‘taboo’ cereals like Frosted Flakes. Seriously!
So, what’s a girl to do? Make my own!
Timing: It will take you about 10 minutes to put together, 20 minutes to bake.
Tools:
- Baking sheet
- Large bowl
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Small glass bowl (or glass Pyrex measuring cup)
- Large airtight container for storage
DRY Mixture Ingredients:
- 1 cup dried quinoa
- 1 cup toasted buckwheat (“kasha”)
- 1 cup whole oats (if you buy gluten-free oats, this recipe will be 100% gluten-free)
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut ribbons1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
WET Mixture Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/3 cup pure coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to bake at 300 degrees on ‘convection’ setting; or, 325 in a regular ‘bake’ setting. Mix all dry ingredients into a large bowl. Set aside.
In a glass bowl, melt coconut oil for approx 45-60 seconds.
Add honey and return to microwave for another 30 seconds. Using a hand whisk, whisk thoroughly; then, add in vanilla and salt and whisk again to fully incorporate all ingredients together.
Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and mix until all dry ingredients are coated evenly. Spread mixture out on a cookie sheet so that the mixture is about one inch thick.
Bake for approximately 10 minutes. Remove sheet and carefully stir the mixture so that exposed surfaces are turned under. (Pay special attention to disrupt the sides and corners since those tend to toast faster than the center.)
Return sheets to oven and bake for another 10 minutes.
(NOTE: The key to cooking time? You’re waiting for the mixture to turn a beautiful LIGHT golden color. So, if the mixture is already looking golden when you pull it out after the first 10 minutes, you’ll want to return it for less time after stirring; and, if you don’t notice much change in color after the first 1o minutes, you’ll be able to leave it for a little longer in the second round.)
When baking is complete, remove trays from oven and allow quinola to cool completely right on the tray. Once cooled, use a spatula to carefully release the quinola from the pan. (The more gently you work, the more chunky your quinola will be.)
Store in an airtight container.
