Homemade Crunchy Ganola

You don't have to be gluten intolerant to enjoy this recipe. It can easily be modified to your tastes, and I like it on all kinds of thing, even plain. I've put it on a smoothie in this post and showed some of my favorite products to make it. And did I say it was EASY!

4 Tablespoons canola oil

8 Tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3 cups old-fashioned oats (certified gluten-free if necessary for you). I used the quick oats and it was fine.

1 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup raisins (or dried fruit of your choice. Just be sure to add it last when baking.)

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside

2. In a small saucepan over low heat, heat the oil, honey, and salt, stirring occasionally, until the honey has melted and the mixture is warmed throughout (3-5 minutes).

3. While the honey and oil are warming, in a separate large bowl, add the oats and almonds, and stir until well combined. When the honey mixture is ready, pour it over the oat mixture and stir with a wet spatula (to prevent the honey from clumping) until the honey mixture has coated the oat mixture completely. Scrape the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread it out in a single, even layer.

4. Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. To ensure even baking, rotate the baking sheet during baking, and stir the granola once along the way as well. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and reduce the heat to 300 degrees F. Allow the granola to cool for about 10 minutes on the baking sheet and then return it to the large bowl, (I left it on the pan and just mixed in the fruit there.) add the cranberries and raisins, and stir until they are evenly distributed throughout the granola. Spread the granola out in a single layer on the same baking sheet.

5. Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the granola is a pale golden brown. Cool it completely on the baking sheet. It can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for at least two weeks.

From the cookbook:  Gluten-Free on a Shoestring

I'm getting ready to make a smoothie here. I just throw together whatever I have on hand. This time I had some frozen fruit, that a thawed a little bit in the microwave, some Cabot vanilla bean yogurt (my favorite), honey and just a little soymilk. I put it in the mixer cup and blend slightly.

This is a great little blender. The container you see beside it is my fresh made granola.

Here's the finished smoothie with the Homemade Crunchy Granola. Yummmmmy!!!