Healthy Granola

    This recipe is originally from a cookbook entitled "More With Less". That poor old book! It's been through at least five moves, burned on two different stoves, and stained twenty shades of brown. The granola recipe page, which before now had been in two pieces, actually tore clean out of the book today. What a well-loved cook book!  This recipe isn't directly out of "More with Less" because we've tweaked it quite a bit to make it just what we want.
    This granola recipe calls for lots of seeds and nuts, but isn't hard and fast. Try more less ... or different seeds depending on your needs or tastes.

     It's very important to get the oil, honey, and vanilla smooth, of it's separated like it prefers to stay then some bites of the granola will be extremely sweet while others will be really oily. It takes a lot of arm strength with the whisk, but hang in there!

  Mix, MIX, MIX! Sometimes this part take a couple people (especially in the 8x batch) if we can snag Dad we have him take a turn with the spoon until consistently mixed. Then we take a breather before spooning into the baking pans    

    At this point my brothers and sisters like to dip a bowlful and eat it raw. Some eat it with milk and others just like it plain. I prefer it cooked, but not with milk. I don't even eat it with a spoon. I put it in a cup and dump out a mouthful at a time. This is easy for me to eat breakfast while working with a keyboard or papers that i don't want to spill on ... it also means less dishes! 

   After all that timer setting, adding this and that, and mixing every-so-often you're ready to have the pan cooling on the counter filling the house with it's warm aroma ... and even more ready to dip a bowlful.

Ingredients:

    4 cups old fashioned rolled oats

    1/2 cup sesame seeds

    3/4 tsp salt

    1 tsp cinnamon

    1/2 cup honey

    1/2 cup vegetable oil

    1/2 tsp vanilla
    1/2 cup coconut

    1 cup chopped nuts

Ingredients (8x Batch):
    32 cups old fashioned rolled oats
    3 cups sesame seeds
    4 cups sunflower seeds
    2 cups pumpkin seeds
    2 TB salt
    4 TB cinnamon
    6 cups honey
    4 cups oil (we used coconut oil)
    4 tsp vanilla
    4 cups coconut
    10 cups chopped nuts (We used almonds, but have used pecans before)
  
Directions: 

    Mix oats, seeds, salt, and Cinnamon together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl add the honey, oil, and vanilla together. They will be separated so whisk together until they are smooth. Combine dry and liquid before the liquid separates again.

    Spread into baking dish, you may need more than one. Depth doesn't matter, it only means you'll be cooking it longer. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove, add nuts & coconut, and stir. Bake for 15 more minutes. Remove and stir. Bake for additional 10 minute increments until it's the way you like it. 

    Wait until it cools before putting it into storage containers. The granola will get dryer and more crunchy with time. Keep this in mind when you declare it cooked enough.