Granola + Almond Milk

I think my eating habits are becoming hippies*.

A few of the clues:

I love to make granola (and then snack on it at all hours of the day).

I make my own almond milk several times a week. To eat with my granola... Duh.

Call me a hippie. I dare ya.

But for reals. My eating habits have definitely changed in the past few months after being in culinary school. There is just something so wonderful about knowing what exactly is going into my food and being able to enjoy something I made from scratch. And, the great thing is, granola and almond milk are super easy to make.



Kitchen Cupboard (Saffron) Granola
My approach to granola is to just throw in whatever I have in the pantry or whatever sounds good. I will point out some areas where you can throw in your own flair.

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds (I used a mix of sunflower and pumpkin seeds... I don't recommend using chia seeds because they burn easily. If you wanted to add them, I would either add them with the dried fruit or after you pull the granola out of the oven.)
1 cup sliced almonds (I never seemed to have almonds on hand when making granola so I used pecans or walnuts... or both! Hazelnuts are next on my list to try.)
1/2 cup wheat germ (I used flax meal here because I want them to be gluten free.)
Desired seasonings (For the saffron granola, I used 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon of crumbled saffron tendrils.)
1/2 cup honey, agave, or maple syrup (I used a combo of all three.)
2 Tablespoons safflower oil (This is a great area for variation. The first time around, I used safflower oil. The next time, I used almond butter as my oil. Maybe next I'll try out coconut oil. You could also use olive oil for a more savory granola. The options are limitless.)
2 teaspoons vanilla (Any extract or essential oil could be used here to add flavor.)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup chopped dried fruit, any combination desired (I used dried currants... I also love dried cranberries, cherries, blueberries, goji berries, raisins.)

Preheat oven to 350º. In a medium sized bowl, mix together oats, seeds, nuts, flax meal, seasonings and any other dried ingredients you'd like to throw in the mix. Spread onto a baking sheet. Place in preheated oven and toast for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In the meantime, combine the honey, oil, extract, and salt in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil and let simmer for a few minutes. Remove from heat.

Once the oat mixture is done, remove it from the oven and reduce the heat to 300º. Immediately add the oat mixture and dried fruit to the liquid mixture. Stir until all oats and fruit are coated.

Spread evenly onto a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Let cool completely before enjoying and storing.

Store in an airtight container.

I'm not quite sure how long this granola lasts because I eat it so quickly it doesn't even have time to get close to bad.

*NOTE: I do NOT support the stereotypes and assumptions that are associated with certain eating choices. I DO support consuming a well balanced, fresh, and nutrient filled diet that is right for each individual. Don't hate. Accept that each person has a right to choosing their own diet.