Recipe: Crunchy Granola

This is, hands down, the best granola recipe in the world!  I’ve tried quite a few recipes in an attempt to find the perfect one, but most of those ended up languishing in the cupboard till I guiltily threw them out.  This is the only one that satisfied my requirements for crunchiness, chunkiness, sweetness, and overall deliciousness!  My son and I eat it every morning for breakfast with yogurt and fruit.  Sometimes I sprinkle it on vanilla ice cream.  Whenever I make it, usually every couple of weeks, I eat it straight out of the pan; it’s that good.

Granola, fresh from the oven

Crunchy Granola (from the “More with Less” cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre)

Preheat oven to 325F.

Mix together in large bowl: 1 cup coconut, 4 cups large-flake rolled oats, 1 cup sunflower seed, 1 cup wheat germ, 1/4-1/2 cup sesame seed, 1 cup peanuts or chopped walnuts (sometimes I use almonds)

Bring to a boil: 1 cup honey (sometimes I use part real maple syrup), 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1 tbsp cinnamon

Pour honey mixture over dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Spread on two greased cookie sheets.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Take pans out, stir.  Bake another 5 minutes.  Stir.  Bake another 5 minutes.  Stir.  Another 5 minutes.  It should be done after a total of 25 minutes.  Add another 5 minutes if necessary, but watch it closely, not allowing it to get too dark.  Don’t stir the final time you remove it; just let cool.  Store in airtight containers.

Ready for breakfast!