Gluten Free Experiments - Granola!

Look at that! 

I mean, it burned some and I had to scoop out the really burned stuff, but even over browned, this was delicious and totally easy!

I knew I wanted granola and I knew they charged way too much at the grocery store and I knew I had at least most of the ingredients to make it, but I've never made it myself, so I decided to try. I found a recipe* that used proportions and had very few ingredients, and used that as my base. I actually had about half of what the recipe called for but it made more than enough for me, since I'm really the only one in the house that likes granola.

Here's what I did:

- 2 cups oats (the real kind)

- 1 cup mixed nuts and 1/2 c mixed fruit (I just picked them out of a big thing of trail mix I always have around)

- 1/4 c coconut oil

- 1/4 c honey (the recipe says any syrup and any oil; these were the ones I had)

I also threw in a little salt, maybe a teaspoon and a half of cinnamon, some ground flax.

Mix the dry stuff--oats, nuts, cinnamon, salt, flax. Not fruit; those go in after it cooks.

Mix syrup and oil.

Mix wet and dry together.

Spread out on the cookie sheet and cool at 350. It said to do it for 30 min, stirring every ten mins, but that was for twice the ingredients, which I didn't even think of at the time and that's probably why it burned. Next time, I'll cook it in five minute intervals and keep a better eye on it.

When it comes out, toss in the fruit, cool it, and store somewhere airtight--I just threw it back into the oatmeal box because it had a kid and I didn't have anything else!

I decided to eat it with some Noosa Mango Yogurt that's been sitting in the fridge and had gotten a little sour-creamy, so I also threw in a bit of applesauce. It was delicious.

Notes:

- Recipe: http://ambertheblack.com/no-recipe-easy-homemade-granola/

- The trail mix I had was the kind I make myself--this time it had a lot of corn nuts that got really delicious with the extra toasting.

- I might make it sweeter next time--add brown sugar, or more honey-oil mix.

- I'm definitely adding more fruit. I like a fruity granola.

- I think if I have pre-toasted nuts again next time, I'll throw them in at the last five or ten mins instead of at the start.

But this came out very well and I'm keeping it!