Amy Cook's Granola

Amy Cook, a former John Day resident now living in North Dakota, makes this wonderful granola which she always seems to have on hand. I've tried it and it does make a delicious snack when you're on the go. The flaxseed and walnuts have Omega-3 fats (the good kind) which benefit heart health. My co-worker Cheryl Hoefler of Prairie City whipped up this granola and enjoys eating it with milk for breakfast (she took the picture shown here). The fun part is you can adjust the ingredients to your taste and what you have on hand. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 C. old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick oats)
1/2 C. almonds, chopped
1/2 C. walnuts, chopped
1/2 C. pecans, chopped
1/2 C. wheat germ
1/2 C. flaxseed
1 C. shredded coconut
1/2 C. unsalted sunflower seeds

Mix all the above ingredients in a large bowl, set aside. Preheat oven to 325 F.
In a saucepan over low heat, mix the following ingredients until well blended and warmed through.

1/2 C. vegetable oil, such as canola
3/4 C. honey
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Pour warmed liquid mixture over dry ingredients and stir until coated evenly. Pour granola onto a large cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Remove and mix around and place back in oven. Bake until lightly brown, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and add 1-2 C. dried fruit (raisins, craisins, dried apricots, apples bananas, pineapple, mango, etc.). Store in an airtight container or Zip-Lock bag.

Sarah Schuller's Granola

Here's a granola recipe from the kitchen of Sarah Schuller of Canyon City - it's her favorite, and I'm eager to give it a try!

Ingredients:
6 C. old-fashioned oats
1/2 C. sugar
3/4 C. wheat germ
1/2 C. shredded coconut
1/2 C. canola oil
1/3 C. maple syrup, or maple-flavored pancake syrup
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Optional: add a handful nuts, sunflower or flax seeds and/or dried fruit

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake old-fashioned oats alone on a cookie sheet for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine oats and other ingredients, including nuts or seeds if desired. Pour mixture onto baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through. When cooled, add dry fruit if desired. Store in airtight container.

Chocolate Granola with Peanuts

Here's a chocolate-y granola recipe which I haven't tried yet, but will let you know how it goes – it's hard to go wrong with chocolate and peanut flavors! If you give this a try, please let me know how it turns out!

Ingredients:
1/4 C. cocoa powder
4 1/2 C. rolled oats
1 C. sunflower seeds
1/2 C. white sesame seeds
3/4 C. apple compote or applesauce
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger powder
1/3 C. brown rice syrup or rice malt syrup
1/4 C. honey
3/4 C. light brown sugar
2 C. unsalted peanuts
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. canola oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 F.
Stir ingredients well in a large mixing bowl. Spread the mixture evenly between two baking sheets. Bake for 40-60 minutes. Take out after 20-30 minutes, mixing granola around, and place back in oven switching baking sheets to opposite racks. Watch closely so granola doesn't get overdone. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.

Angel's Tip: In a pinch, if you can't find brown rice syrup, pancake syrup may do the trick.