workers' granola

This is Sampson, whom I am kitty-sitting for another professor this week. I call him Henry, George, and sometimes Thomas because I like colonial English style names. S/h/G/T's a magnificent beast. He lives uptown and has been slowly taking in the sights of Eastern Parkway, and he likes to supervise me on my cooking projects. He seemed pleased with yesterday's breakfast project.

I love granola but I can't find natural style granola (minus high fructose corn syrup or soybean oils) anywhere in this town for less than $5.50 for a little bag that barely lasts a week. But granola is so simple, I tried my hand yesterday morning.

"There's a bleeding financial crisis going on" Granola recipe

Ingredients:
5 cups of old fashioned oats (not the steel cut kind)
1 cup of raw almonds
1 cup of raisins
1/2 cup of wheat germ (didn't use, but this stuff is amazing for you)
1/4 cup of honey (or brown rice syrup or agave nectar)
1/3 cup of orange juice
1/4 scant of neutral oil (safflower oil would be good)
cinnamon (or any other spices you might like: cloves, cardamom, ground ginger)
brown sugar (to taste)
other add-ins: pumpkin seeds, flax seed (ground or whole)

Preheat oven to 350. Measure oats in a large bowl. Warm the honey over low heat in a small sauce pan (for pourability), add juice and oil. Drizzle over the oats while mixing slowly, until well coated. Add cinnamon and spices (maybe 1 teaspoon total). If it doesn't seem sweet enough, you can add a bit of brown sugar (but it will likely be quite sweet, but that's OK. It gets less sweet in the baking procers).
Arrange on baking sheet and cook about 20-25 minutes, opening every 5 minutes to stir. Take out when golden and crispy.

granola after five minutes

The end result is a well toasted, not too sweet granola that's perfect for eating with plain yogurt and fruit in the morning. Beats the $5.50 Bear Naked business I've been buying.