Best Ever: Homemade Granola

My affair with this granola started a few months ago when Fraser and I went on our epic one day road trip around Caledon (documented here).  Days later, Fraser confessed to fondling a boutique box of granola and it had been on his mind.    Maybe it's my selectively competitive nature, but as is my reaction to most things, I spat out a 'pfft, I could make that' and set off to prove that I can make something so basic and beautiful in my kitchen.    Be warned, this granola is ridiculously tasty and it will go quickly.   The recipe below makes nearly 4 cups and you will find excuses to incorporate it into most meals.

Because of a change in my work schedule, I have also severely abused this poor body and digestive tract with fast food,  company lunch and more coffee (read: 5x the normal amount consumed).   I managed to break away for a few hours, which I naturally dedicated to making easy/ wholesome/ fibre filled meals for the next few days.

Homemade Granola

·         2 c oats (old fashion/ large flake kind)

·         1 1/2 nuts and/or seeds

·         1/3 c oil

·         1 tsp salt

·         1/4 tsp cinnamon

·         nutmeg

·         ginger

·         1/3 c honey or maple syrup

·         1/2 tsp vanilla

·         1/4 c dried fruit (but I am usually more generous with this)

Combine your oats, nuts, seeds, oil, salt, spices, honey, vanilla in a large bowl.   On a parchment lined baking sheet, bake at 350 for 35 - 40 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so.   Add the dried fruit in the last 10 minutes of baking. 

From the recipe above you can clearly see that it is very much open to interpretation.   I usually stick with olive oil, though coconut oil might be nice since it is heat stable.  In terms of spice, I will add a little bit of everything (cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon).    A word to the wise, do not add the fruit earlier.   It will burn and turn into bitter nuggets making the most miserable granola, and that's no way to start a day.  Stick to the instructions and you will be able to bask in your own brilliance over an awesome bowl of granola.

Remember how I said that this granola is so good you will want to eat it all the time?  Here is an easy dessert idea that will fulfil that need while looking semi fancy:   take a solid perfectly round scoop of vanilla ice cream and roll it around on a plate covered in said granola.  I'm willing to call this a Canadian version of Tartufo.   You have the crunch, you have the cream and you have a brilliantly easy dessert.

- Jess