Homemade Granola is the Best! 

by Cherie Fresonke @cheriefresonke

Do you host retreats? Or simply want a tasty breakfast without preservatives? Are you looking for an easy, delicious solution to breakfast time? Well, look no further. The Ultimate Nutty Sunflower Granola Muesli rates the most requested recipe at our Go in Peace Weekend Retreats.

 

This delicious granola is made from scratch, and can be kept in the freezer to enjoy whenever hungry bears need to be fed. Since it can be made ahead of time, it is a perfect meal when hosting a retreat or camp, especially when you need to feed the multitudes.

 

For Retreats

I use it as the main staple in our Granola Breakfast Bar. The guests love it, even the teenagers. Following the recipe you will find a list of the items I use in the breakfast bar.

 

 

For Individual Breakfasts

I grab it from the freezer whenever I crave a crunchy, healthy cereal. It’s perfect on top of plain yogurt or served with milk.

 

I began my Granola baking experience by trying a few recipes I found in books and online. From there, I adapted and tweaked to my heart’s, or should I say, my tongue’s delight, which resulted in this Ultimate Nutty Sunflower Granola Muesli. So don’t be afraid to experiment with it a bit to suit your taste as well.

 

 

Ingredients

(Feeds 25-35)

 

8 cups rolled oats (I like big, hearty oats. For my Bulgarian friends—овесени ядки)

1 ¼ cup wheat germ (пшенични трици)

1 ¼ cups oat bran (овесени трици)

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

½ cup coconut

 

1 ½ teaspoon salt

½ cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup maple syrup

2/3 cup honey

1 cup sunflower oil

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon cloves

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a baking pan with parchment paper. (I use the pan I bake my turkey in, since the sides are higher than a cookie sheet. If using a cooking sheet you will need two.)

 

Set the almonds aside. Combine the oats, wheat germ, oat bran, sunflower seeds, walnuts and coconut in a large bowl.

 

In a saucepan, stir together the salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, sunflower oil, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and vanilla extract. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour over the dry ingredients (keeping the almonds set aside for later), and stir to coat. Spread the mixture out evenly on the baking pan.

 

Total Baking Time About 20 Minutes

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, add the almonds and stir to coat the almonds. (Adding the almonds at this point keeps them from getting too burnt.) Bake another 10 minutes or so until the granola is golden brown.

 

Cool. Stir occasionally to keep the granola from sticking together while cooling. Store in airtight container. Keep in refrigerator or freezer for longer storage.

 

 

Breakfast Bar Ideas

I love to serve the guests at our retreats. So I set up a breakfast bar and custom prepare their granola much like a chef would prepare an omelet to order at an expensive hotel. Here are some ideas for your breakfast bar:

 

• Milk or yogurt (We offer both so the guests get to pick.)
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Raspberries (We have a strawberry patch and berry bushes so I pick and freeze them in season and offer them frozen to top the granola.)
• Craisins or Raisins
• Bananas
• Hardboiled eggs
• Warm homemade bread (The Bulgarians love bread so it is a must at every meal.)

 

You can pick and choose from the above. Remember, if you are hosting a retreat and cooking for the attendees, keep it simple. I look forward to your questions or comments. Bon Appetit.

(c) 2017 by Cherie Fresonke