granola

well, i've been experimenting with granola recipes....i'm not sure what i was expecting, but my goal was really to have a healthy snack. i actually thought of it when i got a parfait from mc'ds and the granola was really good mixed in, so i wanted to try making it on my own...and just in time to package up for valentine gifts for teachers! so i started looking at several recipes, and just sorta used what i wanted and created my own 3 recipes...

what i realized was that i wasn't a huge fan of what i guess is normal granola? there doesn't seem to be a lot of taste and i was expecting a sweetness (like the granola cereal i've bought before)...it was good in my berry yogurt this morning, and was super filling, so i liked that aspect. but to just be able to munch on it by itself, i had to have a little sugar in it...so here was the winning recipe for me!! :)

sweeet almond granola:
4 c oats
1 c almonds
7 Tbls brown sugar
2 Tbls cinnamon
1/2 c light pancake syrup
1/2 c apple juice
1 tsp vanilla

mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, then pour the wet on the dry, and mix till its all coated...then put the mixture on a jelly roll pan (sprayed with pam). bake at 250 degrees for one hour...stirring the granola every 15 minutes. when you first take it out of the oven, its not crunchy, but as it cools, it will get its crunch on!! :)

**there are tons of different things you could add to make it your own...i added dates in one of my recipes, and it worked really well (just wasn't sure of the date/cinnamon combo-so i left it out of this one)...you could add all kinds of nuts or dried fruit. but if you add dried fruit, you add it after its done cooking!

this was a winner! i think this is what i was looking for in the idea of granola for a snack for the boys. i wish i didn't need the sugar to make it tasty...but i figure that it still gets good grains and protein in them....