Homemade Granola

A very good friend shared this recipe with me several years ago and I make it all the time now.  Because there are so many whole grains in this - and some natural sugars - it really does a wonderful job of stabilizing my blood sugar levels.  I have a tendency to be a little hypo-glycemic, but have found that if I have this for breakfast with some fresh blueberries, I don't have any trouble with my blood sugar dropping before lunch time.

Granola
--combine the following ingredients in a sauce pan.  Heat only till well blended - don't boil!

1 1/2 c. oil
1 1/2 c. honey
1 1/2 c. peanut butter
1 1/2 - 2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 - 2 tsp. almond flavoring
1 1/2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
5 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 TBS poppy seeds

---mix the following together in a LARGE bowl:
6 c. oatmeal
1 1/2 c. sunflower seeds
1 1/2 c. wheat germ
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c. Bran Flakes
1 c. milled flax seed
1 c. sliced almonds

Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir together until well mixed.  Pour onto a large cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes.   Turn oven off and remove granola from oven.  Pour mixture back into your large bowl.  Add:

1 box Grape Nuts cereal
1 -2 cups raisins (if desired)

Mix well and divide the mixture onto two cookie sheets.  There will be too much for just one.  Return to the oven that has been turned off and let dry for 1-2 hours.  (I usually make mine in the afternoon or evening and leave it in the oven overnight.)   Remove from the oven and store in airtight containers.  Make sure it is completely cool before storing.

The wonderful thing about this recipe is how versatile it is.  I typically leave the liquid ingredients as they are and up the amount of the dry ingredients - usually to 2 cups for the flour and the cereals.  It makes the granola a little more dry, but it still has amazing flavor.  The flax seed and almonds were not on the original recipe.  And I used all generic ingredients.  It's fabulous!

I would suggest when you make it the first time, follow the directions as given and then adjust the amounts to fit your personal likes.

All of the dry ingredients except that last box of cereal!

The liquid ingredients and spices - yum!

After mixing it all together - ready to bake for 15 minutes.

This is out of the oven, with that last box of cereal added in (and the raisins if you must at this time), and divided to go back into the oven for a couple of hours to dry out a bit.  See how it looks golden and yummy!