The Best Granola!!

Updated 2.11.21

Seriously, this is the best granola!!  

First off, let me set the record straight, in case any of you get the notion that I like to cook.  I do not.  

I have done it for the last 30+ years and will continue to do it out of necessity.

I have told hubby that in my dreams, when he retires he will take over ALL of the cooking.  I’ll clean up any day! He really enjoys cooking, he just works sooo many hours that he can’t.  

Oh, well... He makes me breakfast every single weekend! He is the best!! I’m so grateful for him!  

I love to bake. My hips don't like it, but who's asking??? This granola is so easy to throw together and your house will smell amazing! It smells like an apple pie baking. Your mouth is starting to water, isn't it....

So, I’m a little picky about my granola…. Don’t give me that soft chewy stuff, I like it hard and crunchy!  

This recipe I tweaked until I got it just right. It had to be perfect, we use this stuff almost everyday!

First, preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Get out a 9X13 pan and add 2 ½ cups of old fashioned oats.

Add ¼ cup of ground flax seed,  ¼ cup of brown sugar (I prefer light brown), 1 tsp. of cinnamon and ½ tsp. of salt.

This is sooo easy to make…. Mix this until well blended. I usually have to mash the brown sugar to break it up.

Now in a small cereal bowl, that you can microwave in, add 1 Tbl.  of oil (any light oil), ½ cup of applesauce (I use the little individual cups, we don't eat that much applesauce), and 1 Tbl. of honey. (Use the same measuring spoon as the oil and the honey will slip right into the bowl!)

We are almost done!! Mix that around and pop it into the microwave oven for 30 seconds on high. Stir and repeat.

Now just add the applesauce mix into the oats mix and stir, stir, stir until it is well blended and coated.

Now,  set 2 timers…. One for 1 hour and the other for 10 minutes. I could keep setting the one timer for 10 minutes, but I would inevitably forget how many times I had set it.  So, now no thinking!

This needs to be stirred every 10 minutes for 1 hour. When it's done, it should stir easier and it has a nice dark caramel color to it.

Let it cool, and store it in a container.  It does not need to be refrigerated.

Then make one of these…

This is my absolute favorite lunch! I dump a light vanilla yogurt in a bowl with a ¼ cup of the Best Homemade Granola, add some blueberries. Soooooo good!

The Best Homemade Granola!
2 ½ c. old fashioned oats
¼ c. ground flax seed
¼ c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
½ c. unsweetened applesauce
1 Tbl. oil
1 Tbl. honey

Preheat oven to 300.

In 9X13 pan mix first 5 ingredients and mix, set aside.

In a small bowl mix remaining 3 ingredients and heat in microwave for 30 sec. on high.  Stir, then repeat.

Mix applesauce mix into the oats mix and stir until well coated.

Bake for 60 minutes, stirring mixture every 10 minutes.  Use 2 timers so you don’t lose track like me…  Let it cool, then store in a container. Enjoy!!

Blessings,
Lori