The Last Straw

During this last week of artists residencies and general getting back into the busy swing of a working life, I managed to collect most of the ingredients for the granola recipe posted below.  This is my cousin Monty’s recipe, and when she gave it to me 4 or so years ago at Christmas, pasted on a beautiful glass jar full of the same–I was in heaven.  So finally, I tried it myself.  Mine was great, but Monty’s even better.  I think the difference was, that I used honey and she used maple syrup.  I am only guessing here, and mine, according to friend Cici is terrific.  Actually according to me as well as I have been eating and eating it.

Why granola anyway?  Well, I discovered that the bags inside of all cereal boxes are really plastic.  They feel a bit like waxed paper, so I had never really though about it before.  They are NOT biodegradable.  So, realizing this I thought of my cousin’s recipe.

All ingredients were bought at Whole Foods from the bulk bins except the wheat germ and canola oil and the honey, of course.  Those I was able to purchase in glass containers.

One word of caution–In my opinion do not be over generous with the flax seed.  It is a bit slippery–I had more than the recipe called for and added freely.  Though I am sure I will be very healthy eating this batch, in the next one, I will not over indulge of the flax seed.

Before I sign off, I want to mention my friend Rebecca Currie’s blog.

Her words to me are:  “My project this time around is easy — “healthy” food (whole grain, fruits, vegetables) for $100/mo shopping mostly at Whole Foods. Slightly more than I usually spend, though I’m not always so healthy.

I will be following her, as I am seeing that eating without disposable plastic means eating fresh and before the stuff gets into a box as much as possible.   I had not really thought about this when I signed onto this project.  Like Rebecca, I am not always so healthy, but, well, It might not be so bad….hum….

Below is my cousin Monty’s recipe is below:

Monty’s Granola

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup raw sunflower seeds

1 cup raw sesame seeds

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1 cup raw flax seeds

1 cup raw wheat germ

1 cup oat bran

1 cup dry milk powder

1 cup maple syrup or honey

1 cup canola oil

1 tbsp vanilla

Optional: during the last 15 minutes of baking add dried cranberries, raisins, banana chips, and any nuts of your choice.

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix oil, maple syrup or honey, vanilla.  Heat the liquids (60 seconds in a microwave).

Mix all very well.  Place on two cookie sheets with rims.  Bake at 225 degrees for about 2 hours.  Stir every 15 minutes.  Bake until golden.

THANKS MONTY!