Most commercial brands of granola have a high content of sugar or various highly processed sweeteners, like high fructose corn syrup, coupled with a high content of vegetable oil (which quite often is palm oil) making them a less optimal choice for a healthy breakfast.
My homemade granola uses extra virgin olive oil and malted barley syrup which, although in no way a saint when it comes to sweeteners, does have a lower glycemic index when compared to regular table sugar and also contains higher levels of antioxidants than regular table sugar. It does however contain small amounts of gluten so keep that in mind if you are on a strict gluten free diet.
Homemade Granola
Better than storebought
Ingredients
- 4 cups large rolled oats
- 2 cups other rolled grains of your choice or add 2 more cups of oats I use a mix of barley, spelt and rye
- 3/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1 cup walnuts roughly chopped
- 1 cup raw almonds roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup barley malt syrup
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Several handfulls of raisins or other dried fruit of your choice optional
Instructions
- Mix all the grains, seeds and nuts together in a large bowl.
- In a small saucepan, gently heat the barley malt and the olive oil until they mix together easily, a minute or two.
- Pour the oil/malt mixture over the grain mix and stir well until every flake, seed, and nut appear to be coated. Initially it looks like there is not enough liquid for this to happen but just keep mixing, it will happen.
- Heat the oven to 160ºC (320ºF).Here you have an option for how you want to roast your granola. You can either cover a baking tray with baking paper and spread about half of the granola evenly across it and bake until toasted (stirring often), then repeat with the last half of the granola. Or you can do what I do which is to use two glass baking dishes and spread about a quarter of the granola mixture in each. When done repeat with the remaining granola. The higher sides on the glass dishes make it easier to stir without it falling over the edges of the tray and going everywhere. And you will need to stir it often as it bakes, about every 5 minutes. Once it appears slightly golden the granola is done and you can then repeat the process with the remaining granola.
Baking time is 20-25 minutes or until slightly golden. Be careful to not let it get too dark or it will taste bitter and burnt.
