Homemade Granola

I haven't had a 'breakfast' post in a while, eh? I was also thinking that it had been a while since I made my homemade granola... Don't you hate when there is something that you love to make and then for a while you completely forget about it? I do this all the time! The other day I was looking through some of my recipes and came across the ones for granola and homemade cereals. Then,...to Bulk Barn I went. I picked up a variety of oats, nuts, coconut, dried fruit, etc..Here is the recipe for my homemade granola:

• 4 cups oats
• 1 cup coconut
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/8 cup butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp salt

Combine the oats, walnuts, wheat germ, almonds and coconut (omit raisins until later). In a saucepan, on medium heat, stir butter, sugar, honey, oil, extract, syrup and salt together until mixed. Pour over oat mixture and stir to coat evenly. Pour onto a well-greased pan. Bake at 275 degrees for 1 hour or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and add raisins (or cranberries). I love making this recipe. It's so versatile. Sometimes I'll eat it with milk as cereal (and mix in some Rice Krispies) or sometimes I'll eat it with yogurt. In the evening I sometimes add chocolate chips for a special treat--YUM!

So....since this is turning into a breakfast food post I may as well talk about another dish that I've tried recently--Cream of Wheat Pudding. I got this out of one of my Eat Clean Recipe Books (Tosca Reno). It was so simple to make. It's a matter of soaking some raisins and dried currants in some hot water and while those soak, cooking some cream of wheat and brown sugar with milk. Once the cereal has thickened, mix in the fruit and refrigerate. The idea is to use a bowl or teacup so that once it's ready to be eaten you can flip it and have a pretty little bowl-shaped pudding (Tosca suggests covering the 'pudding' while it refrigerates so that you don't end up with a film on top).

I am hoping to try out a homemade bran flakes recipe soon. I'll be sure to post about this one when I do!