May 3, 2012

MAKING GRANOLA

My winter/fall go-to breakfast is oatmeal with a little bit of brown sugar and cinnamon. Warm, comforting, filling. Fiber! But it's getting a bit warm for that jazz, so I decided to finally transition into one of my spring/summer breakfasts, and make some granola that I could stir into yogurt. ("Random fruit" is another spring/summer go-to. But there's no recipe for that. Bo-ring.)

Actually, there's no recipe for this granola, either. A base of oats, dotted with whatever I had on hand: salted peanuts, a trail mix with pepitas, walnuts and raisins, a handful of dried cranberries (much like these granola bars). Bound together with a swirl of agave nectar and some vegetable oil, and spiced with cinnamon and vanilla bean. Baked at about 350ยบ and stirred every 7-8 minutes until deep golden-brown.

This is the fourth morning in a row I've had it for breakfast, and I'm enjoying it thoroughly. Next time I think I'll omit the dried fruit entirely, or wait until after baking the granola to add it in - those were a bit tougher than I'd like, but clearly not enough for me stop eating it, or pick them out, or go back to that insufferable hot oatmeal.