Cheapo homemade granola

Solinvicta · 03-06-2008, 03:56 AM

So, this weekend, I ran out of cold cereal, and was craving some. So I tried making granola roughly based on an old recipe I got from my mom. It's super-easy, even if you don't cook regularly (you will need an oven, though), and ridiculously cheap.

Basically, take 8 cups of oats (rolled oats - quick oats are fine, but not instant) and throw them in a mixing bowl. Then, add 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, 1 cup of simple syrup (take 1/2 cup sugar and mix with 1/2 cup boiling water to dissolve), a little bit of salt and mix like crazy with a wooden spoon to cover everything.

Spread it all on a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees. Every 15 minutes or so, give it a quick stir. It should be done in about an hour, when everything turns golden brown (you can grab a spoonful to check).

This is just the basics...for mine I throw in about 3/4 a cup of raw sunflower seeds and a little bit of nutmeg before cooking, and maybe 1/2 cup of raisins AFTER cooking. But really, you can dress it up with whatever fruits / nuts / spices you have handy and enjoy.

I think if I were to make it again, I'd try to cut back on the sugar and oil, just for health reasons, but the whole thing was very painless to make, very cheap, and very tasty. And, I'd probably make a double batch.

Miss Rosie · 03-06-2008, 07:38 PM

Health nuts can replace simple syrup with honey and reduce the amount to about 3/4 C, as honey's a bit sweeter. You can also add cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or a few drops of citrus oil. A handful of coconut is also nice. Chocolate chips can make it more appealing to kids.

Granola is a lot of fun.

purplefdu · 03-07-2008, 05:20 AM

We normally use some quality maple syrup for the sweetener. We also add almond slices and a bit of almond and vanilla flavoring. raisins or dried cranberries/cherries normally go in to taste per bowl since we have a jar of them at all times.

Milehimama · 03-07-2008, 09:13 AM

I make mine with brown sugar. I LOVE coconut! Dollar Tree has lots of sesame seeds, dried fruits, sunflower seeds, etc. for only $1. I tried dried pineapple once but it was a little too sweet.

I am looking for a good granola BAR recipe - my bars always fall apart (they are tasty, but not convenient for on the go!)

lucille · 03-07-2008, 05:01 PM

We make granola is big quadruple batches (our kids help with it also). We use Alton Brown's recipe for granola with honey substituted for the maple syrup and use a mix of peanuts, almonds and pecans, then drop out the coconut. Compared to some better brand of granola like Bear Naked it is much cheaper even with all the nuts added in.

Solinvicta · 03-08-2008, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milehimama

I make mine with brown sugar. I LOVE coconut! Dollar Tree has lots of sesame seeds, dried fruits, sunflower seeds, etc. for only $1. I tried dried pineapple once but it was a little too sweet.

I wish I had a good dollar store for food around here. We have quite a few ones that are good for consumer goods, but for food, the dollar stores that I've visited in Connecticut always seem to have inferior products. For example, I found a squeeze bear that looked like it was honey - nope, it was actually high fructose corn syrup and color.

When I was in Canada briefly, I had much better luck. At one point, I was making omelets with escargot, because we could buy them in cans from the dollar store!

Also, about the pineapple, you might want to check different brands...quite a bit of dried pineapple has extra sugar added. If you can locate some of the "just pineapple" stuff, it might not be too bad.

03-06-2008, 03:56 AM	#1
Solinvicta Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Sandy Hook, CT Posts: 77 Reputation: (12)	Cheapo homemade granola So, this weekend, I ran out of cold cereal, and was craving some. So I tried making granola roughly based on an old recipe I got from my mom. It's super-easy, even if you don't cook regularly (you will need an oven, though), and ridiculously cheap. Basically, take 8 cups of oats (rolled oats - quick oats are fine, but not instant) and throw them in a mixing bowl. Then, add 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, 1 cup of simple syrup (take 1/2 cup sugar and mix with 1/2 cup boiling water to dissolve), a little bit of salt and mix like crazy with a wooden spoon to cover everything. Spread it all on a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees. Every 15 minutes or so, give it a quick stir. It should be done in about an hour, when everything turns golden brown (you can grab a spoonful to check). This is just the basics...for mine I throw in about 3/4 a cup of raw sunflower seeds and a little bit of nutmeg before cooking, and maybe 1/2 cup of raisins AFTER cooking. But really, you can dress it up with whatever fruits / nuts / spices you have handy and enjoy. I think if I were to make it again, I'd try to cut back on the sugar and oil, just for health reasons, but the whole thing was very painless to make, very cheap, and very tasty. And, I'd probably make a double batch.

03-07-2008, 05:20 AM	#3
purplefdu Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Eliot, ME USA Posts: 538 Reputation: (27)	We normally use some quality maple syrup for the sweetener. We also add almond slices and a bit of almond and vanilla flavoring. raisins or dried cranberries/cherries normally go in to taste per bowl since we have a jar of them at all times. __________________ Homeward Bound Puppy Blog&Personal Blog best general coupon site & organic grocery coupon help

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

03-06-2008, 07:38 PM	#2
Miss Rosie Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 101 Reputation: (27)	Health nuts can replace simple syrup with honey and reduce the amount to about 3/4 C, as honey's a bit sweeter. You can also add cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or a few drops of citrus oil. A handful of coconut is also nice. Chocolate chips can make it more appealing to kids. Granola is a lot of fun.

03-07-2008, 09:13 AM	#4
Milehimama Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 116 Reputation: (13)	I make mine with brown sugar. I LOVE coconut! Dollar Tree has lots of sesame seeds, dried fruits, sunflower seeds, etc. for only $1. I tried dried pineapple once but it was a little too sweet. I am looking for a good granola BAR recipe - my bars always fall apart (they are tasty, but not convenient for on the go!)

03-07-2008, 05:01 PM	#5
lucille Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 511 Reputation: (33)	We make granola is big quadruple batches (our kids help with it also). We use Alton Brown's recipe for granola with honey substituted for the maple syrup and use a mix of peanuts, almonds and pecans, then drop out the coconut. Compared to some better brand of granola like Bear Naked it is much cheaper even with all the nuts added in.