This is a recipe that is really worth taking the 45 minutes total time to prepare and bake. It makes a great breakfast or snack. We are big on breakfast so it is always nice to have some homemade granola on hand to put into the weekely rotation. This recipe calls for whole almonds which roast to a really satisfying crunch with the oats, honey and brown sugar. I like to purchase the almonds at Costco or Sam’s Club. They are good quality and a value in 2-3# bags. Kept in the freezer they will stay fresh for months.

I found this recipe in the Wall Street Journal, weekend edition in May of 2006. The hand-torn partial page sits in my recipe card box and only gets pulled out if I don’t recall the correct quantity of each ingredient when I make it. I really like the simpicity of this granola. Other granola recipes that have fruit, coconut and other grains are delicious too, but this one is simple and good. I tend to make a double batch using two baking sheets. I use two gallon size zip lock bags to store the granola in. One goes in the freezer to stay fresh until needed.

There are three minor modifications I will recommend to the original recipe. I suggest using virgin, organic coconut oil in place of the vegetable oil. I like the taste and there is mounting evidence that it has many health benefits. The recipe calls for acacia honey. It is a very expensive, specialty honey made from the blossoms of an acacia tree. I recommend using any honey that you can find from a local farmer. There is also evidence that eating honey from a more local source helps with immune systems and helps fight off any seasonal allergies. Plus, I really like supporting local farmers! You can use honey from the grocery store too – it will taste delicious. Last, the recipe calls for a vanilla bean, scraped with seeds to be heated with the oil and honey. Sometimes I do take the time to do this, but it is really not necessary. Adding a teaspoon of vanilla into the hot mixture at the end will easily suffice.

Be sure to stir and re-spread the mixture two or three times during baking. Also, the oats may not look as if they are toasted enough after 40 minutes. But, once cooled, they will crisp up nicely. Both the oats and the almonds can get a little burnt if you leave the granola in the oven for more than about 45 minutes.

Jovias Homemade Granola

Yield: 5 cups

total time 40 to 50 minutes.

Ingredients

4 cups old fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups whole raw almonds
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup vegetable oil (or virgin coconut oil)
1/4 cup honey, preferrably acacia or other local honey
1 vanilla bean, scraped with seeds – or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Mix first six ingredients together in a larg bowl.

Melt oil, honey and vanilla bean and seeds together. If using the bean, remove or strain the bean. Pour over oat mixture and mix until completely saturated. This requires quite a bit of stirring!

Place mix on a sheet pan and bake at 325′ for 30 to 40 minutes, stirrng every 10 minutes or so to ensure even baking. Granola is done when toasty and golden in color.

Cool on baking sheets. Using a spatula, break the mixture up and place in zip lock bag or other air tight container for storage.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Wall Street Journal, May 2006