Oil-Free Granola

Granola is certainly not a low-calorie food, but it is a powerhouse of energy and is ideal for breakfast or snacking. Here in the US, granola comes in almost every flavor you can imagine. However, in the UK it’s not widely available - the closest thing I can describe it as, is bits of crunchy flapjacks. That is, British flapjacks, not American…that’s a different kettle of fish altogether.

It’s similar to crunchy British flapjacks because the base for granola is oats, brown sugar/honey/liquid sweetener, fat and optional add-ins. With the addition of dried fruit, nutritious seeds and nuts, the granola mix can be a densely-nutritious food.

We’ve never been too fond of store bought granola, it usually has too much sugar, oil and salt in it and it’s pretty darn expensive for toasted oats! I found many granola recipes online and have tried a few, including ones that were oil-free, but we have found our winner.

I’ve adapted the recipe slightly and added puffed brown rice, almonds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. Feel free to jazz up your granola by adding any dried fruits, seeds or nuts to the base mix. The flavor and texture combination of your granola is only limited by your imagination. Here are a few ideas that can get your creative juices going:

TROPICAL - Add chopped dried pineapple, papaya, mango and flaked coconut
APPLE PIE - Add chopped dried apples, raisins and walnuts
OMEGA-3 BOOST - Add walnuts and flax seeds
MAPLE & PECAN - Substitute the honey for maple syrup, add pecans and chopped dried dates


OIL-FREE GRANOLA
Makes 1.2 kg (around 10 cups)
Adapted from The Amateur Gourmet's Easy Home Made Granola

Ingredients
225-255 g (⅔-¾ c c) honey
160-180 g (⅔-¾ c) brown sugar
6 T water
3 t vanilla extract
3 t ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
600 g (6 c) oats
85 g (heaped ½ c) raw, whole, skin-on almonds, roughly chopped
125 g (heaped ¾ c and 2 T) pumpkin seeds
70 g (½ c) raw sunflower seeds
25 g (1 ½ c) unsweetened, no-salt added puffed brown rice (optional)

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the honey, brown sugar, water, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Add the remaining ingredients, and with your hands mix well to incorporate all the ingredients.

3. Pour the mixture on to three baking trays and spread into even layers. Bake in the middle of the oven for 35-40 minutes, checking the granola every 5-10 minutes and stirring to ensure even browning. The granola is ready when it is evenly browned.

4. Take the trays out of the oven and transfer onto wire racks to cool. Once cool, the granola should be nice and crisp. Store in an airtight container and enjoy!