Post by Debbie on Jun 23, 2012 20:33:08 GMT -5
4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup oat bran (can substitute wheat germ)
1 cup roasted, salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 banana, very ripe
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or chopped chocolate
Preheat your oven to 275 degrees F/ 135 degrees C.
In a large bowl combine the old-fashioned oats, the oat bran, and the chopped peanuts,
and toss them together with your hands.
Take your extra-ripe banana and mash it until it's completely liquid, using a potato masher, a fork, or even a blender.
The riper the banana, the easier it will be to mash and the more sweetness it will add, so don't be afraid to use a really soft brown one. Set the banana aside for a few minutes.
Combine the vegetable oil, maple syrup or honey, peanut butter, salt, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan.
Place the pan over medium-heat, and stir while it heats up and the peanut butter melts.
Stir frequently so that the bottom doesn't scorch.
Cook until the mixture is thick and bubbling.
Now take the pan from the heat and add the vanilla extract.
Add mashed banana, and stir until all of your liquid ingredients are well-mixed.
Pour your beautiful banana-peanut concoction over your big bowl of dry ingredients and stir.
Stir until all the ingredients are completely coated and there aren't any dry patches remaining.
Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, and spread the granola out all over the baking sheet.
It's fastest and easiest if the granola is in a single layer, so if your baking sheet is on the smaller side, it's better to spread the granola over two sheets so that it bakes faster and more evenly and avoids "Trouble."
Bake the granola for about an hour.
Stir after every 15 minutes so that it cooks evenly.
Stirring is a bit of a tricky proposition--you want to move the granola around so it doesn't get burned, but you also want to try and keep some larger chunks together so that you have lovely clumps instead of just individual oats. J
just do your best to move the granola around without disturbing all of the clumps--and if you do, it'll still taste delicious!
Bake the granola until it is very fragrant and an even, golden brown color all over.
If you feel it with your hands, it will probably still feel somewhat soft and not done straight from the oven.
As it cools, it will crisp up, so don't be alarmed if it doesn't have the texture you're expecting right away.
It's more reliable to judge its readiness by color than by feel.
Let the granola cool completely before adding the mini chocolate chips.
Warm granola will make the chips melt, so definitely exercise patience on this one to avoid melted chocolate.
Add the chocolate and toss everything together with your hands.
This granola keeps marvelously in an airtight container for up to a month.
If you're a slow granola eater, you can portion it out and keep it in plastic bags in the freezer for up to six months.
1 cup oat bran (can substitute wheat germ)
1 cup roasted, salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 banana, very ripe
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or chopped chocolate
Preheat your oven to 275 degrees F/ 135 degrees C.
In a large bowl combine the old-fashioned oats, the oat bran, and the chopped peanuts,
and toss them together with your hands.
Take your extra-ripe banana and mash it until it's completely liquid, using a potato masher, a fork, or even a blender.
The riper the banana, the easier it will be to mash and the more sweetness it will add, so don't be afraid to use a really soft brown one. Set the banana aside for a few minutes.
Combine the vegetable oil, maple syrup or honey, peanut butter, salt, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan.
Place the pan over medium-heat, and stir while it heats up and the peanut butter melts.
Stir frequently so that the bottom doesn't scorch.
Cook until the mixture is thick and bubbling.
Now take the pan from the heat and add the vanilla extract.
Add mashed banana, and stir until all of your liquid ingredients are well-mixed.
Pour your beautiful banana-peanut concoction over your big bowl of dry ingredients and stir.
Stir until all the ingredients are completely coated and there aren't any dry patches remaining.
Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, and spread the granola out all over the baking sheet.
It's fastest and easiest if the granola is in a single layer, so if your baking sheet is on the smaller side, it's better to spread the granola over two sheets so that it bakes faster and more evenly and avoids "Trouble."
Bake the granola for about an hour.
Stir after every 15 minutes so that it cooks evenly.
Stirring is a bit of a tricky proposition--you want to move the granola around so it doesn't get burned, but you also want to try and keep some larger chunks together so that you have lovely clumps instead of just individual oats. J
just do your best to move the granola around without disturbing all of the clumps--and if you do, it'll still taste delicious!
Bake the granola until it is very fragrant and an even, golden brown color all over.
If you feel it with your hands, it will probably still feel somewhat soft and not done straight from the oven.
As it cools, it will crisp up, so don't be alarmed if it doesn't have the texture you're expecting right away.
It's more reliable to judge its readiness by color than by feel.
Let the granola cool completely before adding the mini chocolate chips.
Warm granola will make the chips melt, so definitely exercise patience on this one to avoid melted chocolate.
Add the chocolate and toss everything together with your hands.
This granola keeps marvelously in an airtight container for up to a month.
If you're a slow granola eater, you can portion it out and keep it in plastic bags in the freezer for up to six months.