When I figured out how easy, cost-effective, and fun it is to make granola, bulk bin granola became a choice of the past. While the ingredient list can get lengthy, the process and outcome are worth the time and effort.
Only requiring basic kitchen tools and skills, homemade granola invites play, experimentation, and creativity in the kitchen. And as long as the ingredients appeal to all the senses, and the oats don't over toast, there is no going wrong.
In my early days of granola making, there was no rhyme or reason behind the recipe. My process was spontaneous and experimental, guessing the ratios and randomly choosing ingredients to toss, turn, and toast.
After a few extra-delicious batches in which the granola was not overly sweet or too oily, I realized documentation was necessary, requiring me to lean into the left side of my right-sided brain and jot down the basic ratios.
The framework for basic ingredients like fat, sugar, spices, nuts, fruit, and grain, freed me up to play with spice, texture, and flavor combinations.
Eating For the Season
As someone who loves to sway with the seasons, I like to make seasonal granola, choosing ingredients that balance with the qualities permeating in the air. In the spring, when winter's heaviness still lingers, the air is damp, and the soil is warming up, my granola is lighter, placing the spotlight on the oats, spices, seeds, and dry fruits for sweet splashes of color. I usually opt out of heavier ingredients like nuts, including coconut.
On some days, I eat my granola dry, either as a snack or light breakfast with a cup of tea. On days when I want more sustenance and nourishment, I serve it with warm milk to soften and moisten the grains, perhaps even adding a dollop of ghee or coconut oil. The pairings allow for personal preferences and different constitutions and works well when serving a group.
What I appreciate most about making a seasonal granola is the infusion of intention. Adjusting the recipe each season nudges me to stop for a moment and ponder my surroundings, connect with the elements, trust in the ancient wisdom of nature, and alchemize the ingredients accordingly. It pulls me out of one comfort zone and places me into another.
And then my granola becomes a memory, a tradition, a ritual, a story linked to a season.
Springtime 5-Spiced Granola
Ingredients:
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick oats)
- 1 ½ cups raw seeds like sunflower, pumpkin, hemp, and sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ½ teaspoon fennel powder
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- ¼ teaspoon star anise powder (optional)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean powder or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of Himalayan salt
- ¼ cup sunflower oil
- 2–3 tablespoons maple syrup*
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup chopped dried fruit like apricots, tart cherries, or cranberries
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
In a large bowl toss oats, seeds, spices, and salt. Set aside. In a smaller bowl, mix the oil, molasses, and maple syrup. Mix dry and wet ingredients together until all ingredients are well combined.
Evenly spread the granola out onto a large baking sheet and place the sheet into the preheated oven on the middle rack. Bake for approximately 30–40 minutes, gently mixing the granola every 10–15 minutes to ensure even cooking. You will know the granola is done when the oats are slightly toasted and the spices are fragrant.
Remove the granola from the oven and while the mixture is still hot, add the dried fruit. Another option is to gently sauté the fruit in a little ghee or sunflower oil before adding to the warm granola.
Notes:
- *Adjust maple syrup to your taste; use 2 tablespoons if you prefer a not-so-sweet granola.
- If you tend to experience dryness, add ⅓ or ½ cup of oil instead of ¼ cup.
- If you prefer less spice in your granola, reduce spice quantities by half.
Enjoy your springtime granola, and experiment with customizing the ingredients to suit your day.
