This is a very basic form of a homemade granola recipe I have been tweaking and reinventing for years. This nutritionally balanced, high- fiber, low- sodium, vegetarian, dairy- free, gluten- free is very popular in our extended family. Especially surprising is how many of the grandchildren love it mixed with my Homemade Geek Yogurt and a little honey.

My basic homemade granola recipe using toasted shaved coconut for fun!

 I encourage you to play with this recipe and let me know what you do with it and how your circle of friends and family enjoy homemade  granola!

This is a nutritious and low sugar granola. Change it up as your taste buds demand and your pocketbook allows. 

Here is the Basic Homemade Granola recipe walk through:

Play with this recipe. Add in what you like

You will need:

• A very large mixing bowl. I use a 6 qt stainless mixing bowl with head room for stirring. Cut this recipe in half if you don’t need a lot of granola. It holds well though…months in an airtight container or ziplock bag. Freeze it in airtight bags.
• 2 large cooking sheets with a lip to keep the granola on the sheet when stirring it.
  I have  a convection oven so I can do two racks at a time and it is evenly baked; if you can only bake one rack at a time you will probably want to cut this recipe in half.
• A large stirring spoon and maybe a sharp knife to chop up ingredients

The Method:

• Grease your Lipped cookie sheets or use Silpat baking mats. I’m using coconut spray oil. Throw out the PAM!
• Preheat your oven to 325ºF
  (less if yours run hot)
• Pour 4 quarts of non-instant, regular oats into the bowl.Here’s where you can be creative and add your personal touch!  Give pine nuts and other nuts a try. Hold off on the dried fruit until after baking though.
• TODAY I’M ADDING. Toasted shaved Coconut..Stir and Warm it to just barely melt the oil.
• Pour this syrup into the dry ingredients and mix very well. All the way down to the bottom of the bowl or it will have dry pockets.( I keep the wet ingredients to a minimum. I’m trying to reduce the sweet as much as possible and the wetter you make it the longer its in the oven). If you find dry pockets when you’re pouring onto the cookie sheets just add a bit of water and mix it up.
• Bake for 20 minutes and then stir it up. put it back in for another 20 minutes and repeat until it is as dry as you want it. I avoid cooking it too brown. I’m all about keeping the nutrients alive.
• After baking, remove it from the oven. AND NOW…
• pour it back into the big bowl.. Careful. It will be HOT!

Note: I DO NOT bake my dried fruit!

• My personal preference is to add it in after baking the granola so it remains somewhat moist. Today I am adding in about 2 cups raisins. Often I mix raisins with organic dried cranberries. I have, in the past, used dried cherries, apricots, mangoes and will try blueberries and others in the future.  Here’s where you can add fun to your recipe!

Homemade Granola, homemade Greek yogurt and peaches in a parfait.

Granola Peach(or any fruit) Parfait. 

This is one of our favorite treats and desserts!

In a parfait glass or bowl put 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, then add a few slices of canned peaches, Pour 1/4 Cup of granola over the top and yum! If you’re really feeling decadent, a dollop of whipped cream with a very little bit of dried fruit or organic dark chocolate on top should satisfy the sweet tooth and keep the calories low and worthwhile.

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Homemade Granola

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Number of servings: 80

See Detailed Nutrition Info on

Ingredients

• 16 Cups of regular oats
• 1/2 C Cinnamon
• 1 C Flaxseed meal
• 1 C pre-washed quinoa
• 1 Cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or filbert...nuts
• 1 C Raw Sunflower Seeds
• 1 C Pumpkin Seeds
• 3/4 C organic extra virgin coconut oil
• 1 C Organic raw honey or maple syrup
• 2 Tablespoons Real Vanilla
• 2 Cups raisins
• 2 Cups dried fruit of your choice(organic dried cranberries, cherries, apricots, mangos...)

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees
• Coconut oil 2 large baking sheets(cookie sheets are fine) with a lip.
• In a 20 quart mixing bowl, add the oats, cinnamon, flax meal, Quinoa,nuts,and seeds(and any other dry ingredients you choose EXCEPT dried fruits-they go in later)
• In a small bowl, add the coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Mix them well and pour into the dry ingredients.
• Mix thoroughly for a long time, way down into the bottom of your big bowl, until all the dry ingredients are thoroughly covered with the wet ingredients.
• Spread this mixture on your baking sheets evenly and put into the oven to toast..
• Set the timer for 20 minutes. When the time goes off, using a spatula, mix the granola on the cookie sheets to avoid uneven toasting, put it back in the oven for another 20 minutes.
• Check your granola, it might need another 20 minutes but it might already be toasted.
• The granola is ready to come out of the oven when it's slightly browned and almost dry.
• Take the cookie sheets out of the oven and carefully(it's hot) put the granola mix back into your large bowl.
• Add in the dried fruit you choose(cut up anything bigger than a raisin for easy eating. And mix it with a large spoon.
• Once cooled, it's ready to put into airtight containers. this will keep a long time. At least a month.