As I write this, I have a batch of granola in the oven. Granola is a comfort food for me, plus it's packed with things that are good for the body. There's no real recipe for it - I just toss it together with what I have on hand. But here's a list of what I'm putting in it today.
- Old fashioned oats (large box)
- Honey
- Wheat germ
- Canola oil
- Cinnamon
- Chopped pecans
- Brown sugar
All this gets mixed, then put into a large pan. You get a feel for how much oil and sweetening to add. You need enough oil to help the oats toast, and enough sweetening to make the taste delicious. I put it in the oven at 350 degrees F., stirring it occasionally, until it's all toasted nicely. When I get it out, I'll let it cool for awhile, then add:
- Craisins
- Raisins
- Dark chocolate chips
- Chopped dates
I'll mix these in and store it all in an airtight container. This granola is tasty eaten out-of-hand, cooked like oatmeal, eat it like cold cereal, or sprinkled on ice cream or yogurt. It's got lots of fiber and antioxidants, plus vitamins and minerals. I don't know that it's a good wrinkle treatment, though, since it makes you smile really big when you eat it!
It's pretty economical to make, and you can add your own favorite dried ingredients. The last four items I listed go in after it's cooled so that they don't get rock hard or, in the case of the chocolate chips, don't melt.
I have put in coconut, other dried fruits, sesame seeds, sunflower nuts, and pine nuts in other batches of it. It just depends on what I have in the pantry.
