Recipe: Gluten-Free Granola

I decided to make some Gluten-Free Granola.

For the record, most Oats are NOT Gluten-free due to cross-contamination issues in the field, on farm equipment, and in the grain storage and processing facilities.  To make truly gluten-free oatmeal and granola, you really do need to seek out oats labeled Gluten-Free.  I figured the cost of standard Walmart-brand Old-Fashioned Oats to be about $0.95/lb. Gluten-free Oats from The Food Store are currently $2.19/lb. I am not sure this is a fair comparison; maybe I should have compared to the cost of Quaker Oats for a more fair comparison. I will have to look next time I am in the store and report back.

I adapted a recipe from a cookbook my husband picked up from a semi-local coffee shop. It's called The Basics and More Cookbook and my copy was printed in 1999. The recipe I adapted mine from was called, simply, Granola I.

Following is my changed-up version:

Gluten-Free Granola (real creative, huh?)

~5 cups Gluten-Free Old Fashioned Oats
~1 1/2 cups Coconut (I got the kind from the health food store without the added sugar, sulfites and propylene glycol)
~1 cup seeds (I used pumpkin and sesame, but find I prefer all pumpkin. Sunflower seeds would be good too.)
~1 teaspoon cinnamon


~1/2 cup honey or 3/4 cup brown sugar
~1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
~1/2 cup water
~1 TB Gluten-free Vanilla


~1/2 cup raisins or other dried fruit, optional
~1 cup nuts, optional


Preheat oven to 350*. Set out 2 9x13 pans or rimmed cookie sheets.

• Mix dry ingredients in large bowl.

• Mix wet ingredients (include the brown suger here if that's your sweetener of choice) in small bowl, then pour over dry ingredients and stir until evenly coated.

• Spread out onto pans and bake about 30 minutes, checking for doneness and stirring every 10 minutes or so.

• When the granola looks nice and toasted (hubby would even venture to say "just a little burnty" because that's how he likes it, lol), take it out of the oven to cool.

 

• Throw your dried fruit in and mix it up. 

• Add the nuts, if you choose.

• Cool thoroughly and store in airtight container.

Enjoy!

Here's to Real Food!