This week, I lived a classic substitute teacher life. I was in my bed and got called out of a deep sleep to sub in 50 minutes – this happened two days in a row. Now, this may not seem like a big deal, but the school that I am on the list for is 30 minutes away, so I only had 10 minutes to get dressed and grab my breakfast and lunch for the day.
Since I live this kind of life where I sometimes need pre-made/easy to grab food in a hurry, and refuse to buy packaged items, I need to keep homemade items on hand that I can grab and go with. This week I used some muffins I had put in the freezer for times like this, and some scones that I made one afternoon, but my favourite breakfast on the go, and the one I want to share with you today, is my mom’s granola recipe.
I asked my mom if I could share this recipe with you all and she agreed (thanks mom!). She got it from a co-worker in the 70’s. It is delicious, healthy, affordable, and has tons of variations.
I’ve taken some pictures so you can follow along as you make your own granola and make sure you’re on track. Ready? Here we go.
Kathy’s Granola
Ingredients:
- 6-7 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 3/4 cups wheat germ
- 1/2 cup flaked coconut
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 1 cup sunflower seeds or chopped nuts
- 1 cup dry milk
- 2/3 cup honey
- 2/3 cup canola oil
- 2 T. water
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup raisins (or craisins) – optional
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
1. In a very large bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, coconut, sesame seeds, nuts or sunflower seeds and dry milk.
2. In a separate bowl (or measuring cup), stir together honey, oil, water, and vanilla.
3. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir to coat ingredients well.
4. Pour into 2 large, shallow baking pans sprayed lightly with cooking spray (or you can use a large turkey roasting pan).
5. Bake at 300 degrees for 25-30 minutes (shallow baking pans) or 40 minutes for turkey pan. Stir twice during heating. Watch carefully – browns on bottom and burns easily.
6. Stir occasionally while while coo ling and crumble into pieces. If desired, add raisins/craisins at this point. Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 2 weeks.
Step-by-step instruction guide (with pictures!)
Combine dry ingredients (minus the raisans/craisans) in a large bowl and combine the wet ingredients in another bowl .
I use a 2 cup measuring cup with a pour spout on it for the wet ingredients and find it works well.
*Notes: Wheat germ is found in the cereal/oatmeal aisle and is a great source of fibre. I usually add a little bit of extra brown sugar and oat bran for a bit more fibre. I also use coconut oil instead of canola oil, which tastes great!*
Stir dry ingredients together until it is evenly mixed.
Pour mixed wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir well to coat.
The entire mix should now be wet (if you see dry spots, keep stirring!
Pour into prepared (lightly sprayed) pans.
Bake in oven and stir at least twice (I stir every 10 minutes). Granola is done when it is a bit brown and looks toasted.
Add craisins/raisins after it is out of the oven. Stir every few minutes to prevent clumps.
Put in sealed container and enjoy!
I love this recipe because it is delicious and allows me a healthy breakfast option that is quick and filling (I eat it with yogurt, but it is also good with milk or applesauce).
This allows me to still have a complete breakfast that will keep me full, even when I don’t have a lot of time in my day. You can tweak this recipe any way you want – adding your favourite ingredients and finding what works best for you!
What are some of your breakfast on the go ideas? Leave a comment to share with us!