Granola is relaxing to make, and so very tasty when it’s done. Where I got this recipe is a mystery because I’ve had it memorized for years, it has become such a staple at our house. Lots cheaper than store bought granola, this is a classic “throw whatever in” type of recipe (just don’t skip the quick oats or the oil). Personally, I can’t stand coconut, so I never put any in, but I know it’s an option that people with coconut-funky taste buds like.

Pile the ingredients in a 13×9 inch baking dish, stir, and bake.

The printable recipe:

List of ingredients:

6 c. quick oats ¾ c. sunflower seeds (unsalted, roasted) ½ c. nuts (any) 1 c. dried berries (any) ½ c. flax seeds (or chia seeds, ground flax, buckwheat, etc.) (optional: ¼ c. coconut) 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. vanilla extract ½ cup cooking oil ½ cup honey ¼ cup molasses (or maple syrup)

Directions:

In a 13×9 baking dish, combine the ingredients (any order). Toast in a 325 °F oven for a total of 35 minutes or until golden brown, stirring once or twice during the toasting. Cool, stirring once or twice to break up big chunks. Store in an airtight container.

That’s it. Definitely beginner-level baking. Preheat the oven when you start to make it seamless. This is a very low sodium recipe if you use unsalted nuts.

Switch up the ingredients when you crave a difference, and this recipe is cheap enough that you can try wild things if you like. The most expensive ingredients are the dried fruit and the honey. It makes a big batch that will last weeks unless you have multiple granola-hungry mouths in your house.

In case you didn’t know, for dietary purposes salt and sodium are synonymous, and you want to keep your salt intake low for the sake of avoiding dehydration, lowering your blood pressure, and keeping your inner ear vestibules balanced with respect to sodium versus potassium ions. High sodium is thought to contribute to some types of balance issues and Meniere’s syndrome. If you use unsalted nuts, the milk you pour on your cereal will contain more sodium than the cereal itself.

And that’s it for now! Female pilots, writing, and science will have to wait for other days. Today is for granola.