JJ's Favorite granola!!

My family knows, my granola is my morning staple with a 1/2 cup of goat's milk yogurt, sweetened with agave syrup and a cup of fruit. I take my granola  with me everywhere, it's breakfast to me!

JJ's Favorite Granola!

 4 c rolled oats
3 c. pecans
2 c. sliced almonds
1 c. sunflower seeds
3 small or 2 large bananas
3/4 c. pure maple syrup
3 T almond oil (can use grapeseed)
3 T cinnamon
3 c Kashi honey puffed cereal
3/4 c toasted wheat germ
3/4 flaxseed ground

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix oats, sunflower seeds, pecans and almonds in a bowl. Combine the bananas, maple syrup, almond oil and cinnamon in food processor, until smooth.

 Add 2/3 of banana mixture to the oat mixture and mix well.

 Spread the mixture on a baking sheet with sides sprayed with cooking spray, parchment paper or a Silpat. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

 Add the cereal, wheat germ and salt to the remaining banana mixture. Add to the baked oat mixture and mix well. Turn off the oven and place the granola in the oven. Let stand until cool, overnight. 

You can add cranberries or other dried fruit after the mixture cool, if desired.

*If the mixture isn't dry, turn the oven back on to 325 degrees, put mixture in oven and turn off again for 5-8 hours.

*Choose the Right Oats For the best results, reach for old-fashioned (not quick) oats, which will bake into crisp, golden granola. Cereal made with quick oats clusters better, but the texture is powdery, not crisp, and it tastes of raw starch.

*Create Clusters  To help the cereal cluster, add a smidgen of water. In combination with the oil and syrup, the water mixes with the wheat germ to create a delicious mortar. Squeeze the cereal with your hands before baking to seal the bond and form small clumps. I don't cluster my breakfast granola, but, for hiking, snowmobiling, skiing or a breakfast on the go, it is a good alternative.

Back  Home! Long day yesterday, flying from Jamaica to Scottsdale, arriving in Charlotte, with 1 hour to get through customs and immigration toting a small refrigerator, carry-on, that Wee Bear, was not happy about (a wedding gift from Kajal and Larry, for our children who married last Summer) and one lost bag, that didn't make it from Montego Bay! Upon arrival in Phoenix, US Air informed us that the bag was on it's way to Charlotte and would arrive in Phoenix on Sunday......life is good!! Now let's get the doggies!!!!

Cheers!
JJ