Herbalicious Homemade Granola
Crafting a big batch of homemade granola is such a treat. Pans thinly layered with the goodness of rolled oats and nuts slowly roasting in the oven is wonderful and homey. This not-to-sweet recipe uses only dried fruits along any goodies that you choose to include for sweetness. It is rich in fiber, whole grains, herbs, vitamins and minerals, and makes a fast breakfast for the whole family on those crazy weekday mornings. If you have little ones in your home, invite them to bake with you! Making homemade granola with all the measuring, pouring, and stirring is lots of fun!
Adapted from Wildflower Community Bakery
3 ½ cups of pitted prunes, dates, or a mix of the two
Boiling water
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 scant tablespoon ground ginger
1 ½ teaspoon anise seeds
½ scant teaspoon nutmeg
1 big sprinkle of salt
Zest of one big organic orange
8 cups of thick rolled oats, or create a mix of rolled oats with other whole grain flakes such as barley, rye, or triticale
1 cup of shredded coconut
2 cups of nuts and seeds, such as walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds
¼ to ½ cup of ground flax seeds, hemp hearts, or a mixture of the two
2 to 4 tablespoons of optional herbal boosts: beet root powder, cacao or carob powder, astragalus root powder, elderberry powder, hawthorn berry powder, maca root powder, rose hips powder.
Your choice of tasty goodies: crystallized ginger pieces, lycium (goji) berries, dried fruit such as papaya, blueberries, cherries, apples, or cranberries, and my personal favorite, dark chocolate chips
If you enjoy baking with healthy ingredients including herbs check out some of these recipes:
Pear Crisp With Blackberry Sage Sauce
Zucchini Summer Squash Chocolate Chip Muffins
Cacao Dusted Peanut Butter Cookies
REFERENCES:
Cooperative Whole Grain Educational Association. (1993). Uprisings, the whole grain baker’s book. Ann Arbor, MI: CWGEA.
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