Monday, August 25, 2008

Protein-Packed Granola Recipe

We lurve granola in our house. Crunchy people, crunchy breakfast, right? But, really, what's a girl to do when Whole Paycheck's bulk bins have stale granola in 'em and I'm too lazy to get myself all the way over to the People's Republic of Takoma Park to their commie co-op nirvana of bulky goodness? Make my own cereal, of course. And, since I am even lazier than that, I had to shake down my interweb friends for recipes. So a huge thanks and shout-out to Jodifur, GreenBeanDreams, and BurbanMom for their amalgamated recipe(s). I also ripped off parts of a granola recipe from my Vegetarian Times Cookbook, btw. Since I grew up in the same house as a man I'll affectionately call Pumpkin Head (not to have gross insensitivity to people who suffer from life-threatening allergies, but, well, to have gross insensitivity in all honesty?), we avoid nuts in our home. Tree nuts, peanuts, you name it. I do, however, love the crunch and protein power packed in those yummy seeds. So consider this doctored recipe my paeon to crunchy, nut-free granola goodness.

MamaBird's Granola

7 cups rolled oats (not quick cook)
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 cup millet
1 cup (uncooked) oat bran cereal
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup honey
1 cup olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup flaxseeds (I used toasted ones)
1/4 cup maple syrup
5 egg whites
1 cup apricots + 1 cup diced dried plums OR 1 cup dried cranberries + 1 cup dried blueberries

I know you're not going to believe this from a kid who used to ask her mom if we could find yogurts with no sugar or artificial sweeteners, just fruit in them, but I really don't think this recipe is sweet enough. It's pretty good, but I think I will up the maple syrup and brown sugar to a full cup each.

Stir it all together, and bake at 300F for 30-45 minutes. Till it's as crunchy and golden as you like it! Mmmmmmmmm....

9 comments:

Burbanmom said...

cinnamin, vanilla and nutmeg?!?!? Why didn't I think of that?!?!? Sounds yum-o-rific!

EcoBurban said...

Sounds delicious and I'm with you, I would up the sweet factor. And!?!?! Where's the chocolate chips?!?! That's how I sell granola to the 4 eco 'burban boys, I bribe them with chocolate!

Laura/CenterDownHome said...

THIS!! Looks like what I've been looking for!! Meredith, 21yodd, loves granola, but has trouble with nuts -- no deadly allergies, but her lips swell. A few years ago my friend, Annie, brought us terrific granola, but I keep forgetting to ask her for the recipe. Yours looks just perfect, Mamabird.

You should put out your own newsletter with all of this terrific information you gather and post for us all. I'd subscribe, for sure.

Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama said...

Yum! Thanks for sharing your recipe and I think I am going to make some this weekend to add to our back to school breakfast repertoire!

Anonymous said...

This recipe looks great. My youngest has a tree nut thing & I'm always having a hard time finding granola.

I found some good fabrics for the snack bags. I'll probably put some pictures up towards the end of the week.

Green Bean said...

Oh my! I'll need to try this instead of my tried and true. Looks divine!

JessTrev said...

Purloined letter - re: eggshells -- an amazing gardener friend of mine said to just keep them until they are really dried out and then crush them and put them directly underneath your plants to amend the soil - she keeps them for her rosebushes (really like them) but I have been meaning to ask her about other egg loving plants! Tx for the comment and the worm concern!

jodifur said...

Sounds yummy! I'll try next time!

Mrs. Gray's Class said...

I'll take a bag or two - reusable bag of course!