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I started making my own granola because the store-bought ones usually have too much sugar. Besides, I like my granola chunky: it’s easier for kids to hold, and less messy to take on the go.
Active Work Time: 7 minutes
Time to Taste: 50 minutes
Servings: 3 baking sheets
No: gluten, eggs, soy, dairy
ingredients
- 5 cups oats
- 1 cup buckwheat groats
- 4 cups green tea, cooled (I like pomegranate green tea for this)
- 3 Tbs. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. nutmeg (optional)
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 cup chopped almonds
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup agave syrup or honey
- 2-4 packets of stevia (optional)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
how to make it:
- Preheat the oven to 300F, boil water, and prepare 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Make tea using two tea bags, and decaffeinate it, if you want…I always do. (See our tea time video for de-caffeinating instructions). Cool the tea. (If I know I’m going to make this recipe, I just make extra tea—removing the teabag when it is steeped sufficiently—when I have my morning cup. That way it’s plenty cool when recipe time comes around.)
- Combine all the ingredients in a big bowl, and stir. Let it all soak together for about 20 minutes (longer is OK if you get side-tracked, as any mother might!)
- Spread mixture on baking sheets with “craters” every now and again, so you don’t have one solid layer of wet mixture, but a bit of “lacy-ness.” (This will ensure overall crunchiness, a vital characteristic of perfect granola.)
- At this point, you can also make granola “bars” by simply creating long rows of “batter,” and dividing them into manageable bar-shapes.
- Bake about 30 minutes, though the time will vary greatly according to how thick you made the granola.
- Remove when everything is perfectly crunchy, and be sure not to burn, or even let it get a little dark. Cool a few minutes before breaking up and diving in! (You can add raisins or dried strawberries at this point.) If you only break it up slightly, which is what we do, since it’s perfect for toddlers to snack on.
helping hands
This is a perfect recipe for kids to measure and mix. The ratios don’t have to be precise at all. In fact, I recommend letting them taste the mixture and make suggestions. I bet they’ll surprise you!
notes:
- There are LOTS of different ways to make this recipe. If your family likes things sweeter, add more cinnamon and more sweetener. You can add other grains, too, like millet, or quinoa. You can also add other nuts, though almonds have a very stable fat structure that is better for heating.
- You can also make this granola “raw,” by dehydrating it overnight (about 110 F oven temp). Raw foodie experts would have you soak the nuts and grains several hours before starting the whole process. For me, a big advantage to this raw version is that I don’t ever burn it!
- For more delicious oat-on-the-go recipes, check out our orange scones video:
This is a Smart Foods Healthy Kids recipe. Get more yummy, healthy, kid-friendly ideas at www.smartfoodshealthykids.com.
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