Day 3: The Granola that just Keeps on Giving
Have you ever walked into the store, looked at the prices of granola, and immediately walked out. Well, not all of us are that dramatic- but I definitely am. Hot tip: the granola from the store is overpriced, filled with sugar, and seemingly has two flavor options: cinnamon, or vanilla (but sometimes cinnamon-vanilla, or the rare vanilla-cinnamon). What I mean to say is that you’re fooling yourself, your bank account, and your tastebuds if you buy pre-packaged granola. It could not be easier to make your own granola, and it tastes leaps and bounds beyond what anything from the store could ever hope to do.
The Breakdown:
This is the granola you’ve been waiting for. You just finished a killer workout, and have dashed to the apartment with that dizzying mix of muscle fatigue and ultimate hanger. You need to eat, and you need to do it now. After stumbling to the apartment, you open the fridge, feel a pang of panic…then remember you made a huge batch of granola the day before. You grab the yogurt, spoon some of that crisp, perfectly salty-yet-sweet granola and enter pure bliss.
What You’ll Need:
- Old-fashioned rolled oats (3 cups)
- Peanuts (1 cup)
- Sunflower seeds (1 cup)
- Maple syrup (1/2 cup)
- Olive oil (1/2 cup)
- Raisins (handful)
- Sea salt (generous pinch)
Aside: You can use any nuts, seeds, or toppings you like. Just make sure the ratios are (relatively) similar. I stick with the base of 3 cups oats, 1 cup liquid, and mix in whatever my heart desires. I usually stick with cheaper nuts/seeds, but if you have money to spare feel free to incorporate the most exotic nuts you can think of.
Step 1: Mix, Measure, & Mix
I need not explain this in full detail. All you have to do is combine the ingredients together. If you want to be fancy, mix the liquids first, then the dry. Marry the two, and top with the salt.
Step 2: Bake.
Oh, you’ll want to preheat the oven to 300°F, but I should have said that before. Make sure a rack is placed in the middle of the oven for even heat distribution. Bake for around 45 min to an hour. Stir around every 15 minutes or so. If you want crispy granola, stop stirring at the 30 min mark. If you want perfectly browned granola, keep stirring all the way through. When everything is golden-brown, you’re all set. Set on a cooling rack and don’t touch until room temp.
When it’s all cool- go crazy. Store at room temp, in a (large!) airtight container. The olive oil helps it age over time. At the 3 or 4 day mark, it’s splendid.
Every weekend or so, I play on a variation of this recipe. Just trust, it never gets old.
That’s all for today,
👋 Lil
