So I have to admit, I always thought that granola was a pain to make, but then my son discovered it and loved it, and we were going through that and yogurt really quickly.  I figured I better learn to make both on my own if I was going to keep up with how much he wanted it!  Now he eats a bowl of homemade, unsweetened yogurt (not as tangy or tart as commercial yogurt), with either some cottage cheese or applesauce in it, and topped with some granola.  When he was younger and I had not yet introduced nuts, I made it with a combination of seeds, sesame, hemp, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds that I ground slightly in the food processor.

Granola is the ultimate flexible recipe.  Don’t have almonds, use sunflower seeds.  Don’t like honey, use maple syrup.  Like raisins, add them in after its cooked.  I make it in bulk and keep it in an air tight container in your pantry or give extras as gifts.  Definitely, visit your local natural foods store to pick up these grains in bulk rather than buying packages.  Below is my basic recipe:

4 c. rolled oats
4 c. mixed rolled grains (I usually get barley, spelt, and rye)
1-2 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 c. ground flax meal
1-2 c. sliced almonds (I grind them slightly to make it easier for L to eat)
1/2 - 3/4 c. agave syrup ( a low for glycemic sweetener with the taste of honey–it is sweeter than regular sugar so you don’t need to use as much of it; but you could also use a local honey as well)
1/2 - 1 c. real maple syrup or barley syrup (another great low glycemic sweetener)
3/4 c. - 1 c. canola oil
1/2 c.+ water to help granola clump without extra fat

Mix all of the grains together with other dry ingredients in a very very large bowl (the biggest one you own).  You can freeze or store these grains at this point before adding the sugars and oil if you don’t want to cook it all up at once.

Add maple syrup and oil.  The mixture should have a sheen to it and be tasty.  Be sure to evenly coat all ingredients with sugar and oil.  Add water if necessary to help mixture clump into those yummy crunchy clusters.  Bake at 350′ for 30-40 minutes in 9×12″ pans.  Do not overfill the pans with granola as you will need enough room to stir and move the granola around to prevent overcooking.

You will need to stir the granola every 10 minutes until it reaches a golden toasted color.

Stir every 10 minutes or so until all of the grains and nuts are toasted evenly.

Let the granola cool in the pans and then move to an air tight container or bag.  At this point, you can freeze a portion of the recipe if you feel you won’t be able to finish it in over the next two months or so.  Also, to add bulk without adding calories or sweeteners, once cooked and cooled you can add a variety of whole puffed grain cereals (puffed wheat, millet, kamut, even corn).

Enjoy often with yogurt, milk, or by the handful!

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