Sunday, October 7, 2012

Cara's Birdseed Granola

Combine in large bowl:
1/2 c. each: old fashioned oats, crisp rice cereal, cornflakes, steel cut oats
1/4 c. each: barley flakes, rye flakes, quinoa, oat bran, buckwheat groats
1 T. each: hulled millet, poppy seeds
spices as desired: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, etc.

Combine and toast for 5-15 minutes in a 275 degree oven:
1 T. sesame seeds
1/4 c. - heaped - sweetened coconut flakes

Combine first two mixtures

Microwave until at a rolling boil: (1+minute)
1/4 c. olive oil
1/2 c. honey
add:
1 t. flavoring (vanilla, almond, etc.)

Pour this over the first mixture, and stir to coat

Bake at 300 for about 1 hour (when it starts to brown is when I take it out of the oven, usually), stirring every 15 minutes.

While baking, combine and set aside:
1/4 c. pumpkin seeds (they were green, so I think they were raw)
1/8 c. - heaped - each: raw, chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds

Add whatever nuts, seeds or dried fruits you like to the baked granola
allow to cool, stirring every so often to avoid clumping
store so that it stays dry.


For my first batch, I used some hulled barley as well as both some hard and soft wheat berries.  One of these is really hard to chew, so I didn't include them in the recipe.