Grains, Beans and Things (cont'd) :The Granola Connection

Several years ago, we had a charming new family move into our neighbourhood. When I knocked on their door to offer a welcoming jar of jam, I was invited in for a cup of tea. As it happens, they had moved from my home town (some 5 hours west on the 401). My new neighbour knew of my sister through a mutual friend and was further connected through the neighbourhood school's fundraiser cookbook. Sure enough L.'s favourite granola recipe had been submitted to the school cookbook by my sister. That's less than 6 degrees of granola separation.


Like roughage?..You'll love Syl’s Homemade Granola

Try to use organic ingredients whenever possible.
12 cups whole grain flakes. Syl generally uses:
• 6 cups large flake rolled oats
• 2 cups rye flakes
• 2 cups spelt flakes
• 2 cups kamut flakes

4 cups nuts. Syl uses:
• 2 cups raw cashew pieces
• 2 cups raw almond pieces

1 cup raw sunflower seeds
½ cup raw sesame seeds
Optional
1 cup unsweetened coconut

½ cup brown sugar
½ - ¾ cup wildflower honey
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
¾ cup vegetable oil
½ tsp salt

4 cups dried fruit
• 2 cups raisins
• 2 cups dried cranberries
¼ cup ground flax meal
½ wheat germ

Put all grains, seeds and nuts to a large baking pan.
Mix water, salt, sugar, honey and vanilla in measuring cup. Add oil.
Pour over dry ingredients and mix well.
Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
Add raisins, cranberries, wheat germ, flax meal and mix well.
Bake for another 1/2 hour or until grains are dry and pale gold.
Cool completely.

Serve with milk, almond milk, yogurt, or as a dry snack.
Store in glass jars or Ziploc bags.