i'd rather be baking

If given the task, I’m really not sure I could calculate (or even guess) the number of granola bars I’ve consumed in the past ten years or so. Please don’t make me do it. Math has never been my favorite way to spend my time. And if you add in the handfuls of homemade granola I’ve snacked on just in the last five or so years, forget about it. The mind boggles. Let’s just say granola of some sort is pretty much a constant in our house.

Or at least it was until recently. There are reasons why we love it so much — it’s delicious, filling, and if selected/created properly, can be pretty healthy. These same reasons can make the store-bought varieties expensive. We don’t like that. We’d much rather spend that money on things like new shoes and dinners out. Four dollars here and there adds up. Just saying.

This is why every time I read a decent-looking granola recipe, I’m intrigued, despite the fact that I already have a perfectly good one that I’ve been making for years (and will share eventually, don’t worry). It’s simple, no-fail, and delicious, but yet I’m not satisfied. I know there must be other great granola recipes out there. Thankfully, I happen to be right (at least this once).

This particular recipe is ridiculously easy and brilliantly allows you to use whatever sort of fruits, seeds, and nuts that you like or have in your pantry. Naturally I went with the latter. I’ve started keeping a mega-mart-purchased pouch of assorted dried fruits and nuts in my pantry for quick snacking, and I’d be a liar if I told you that I didn’t just grab a few handfuls and throw them in my food processor. Undoubtedly a bit lazy, but the result was nearly inspired. Yum.

Everything Granola
Half *ssed Kitchen

My intention in making this was to end up with actual bars, but I skipped the rice syrup and the resulting granola didn’t hold together well enough for more than a few big clumps. Next time I’ll suck it up and buy the rice syrup, but if you’re cool with more of a cereal-like snack, brown sugar and honey/agave work great. And feel free to treat it like cereal — I’m not a fan of cereal with milk, but have been eating this atop my yogurt every morning since.

2-1/2 cups whole oats
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 cup dried fruit (optional — my lazy assortment included banana chips, apricots, pineapple, and raisins)
2 Tablespoons seeds (such as sunflower, flax or sesame — I used flax)
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup honey (I used agave nectar)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown rice syrup (found in most grocery stores near the rice cakes, keeps forever in the fridge. If you decide not to purchase this extra item, you can bring the honey up to 3/4 cup and add 1/4 cup of brown sugar. This sweetens and binds the granola bars.)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Press into a greased 8×8 pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until top turns golden and feels just firm to the touch. Don’t overbake or these will turn into bricks.

Let cool for 10 minutes, then cut into rectangles or crumble. Store in an airtight container.

High-Altitude Notes: Bake at 375°F.