Kitchen Sink Granola

Hello, hello, hello! I have neglected my blogging duties for a while due to exams, which turned me into a hermit for two weeks. But exams are over and that means the blogging begins again!

I'm sharing with you today my go-to granola recipe. I've been on a granola frenzy lately and for the past month there's literally been homemade granola on the breakfast table every day. And let me tell you, I think having homemade granola totally helped me study for my exams.

Or, you know, that's what I tell myself anyway.

I see this as the granola version of kitchen sink cookies, as in you can put everything but the kitchen sink into this as long as you follow the ratio oats + nuts + dried fruit. The pictures here show three varieties: the granola in the blue bowl has banana chips, dried blueberries, pepitas and walnuts. The photo above and below is with almonds, walnuts, cashews and sultanas. The photo showing the granola pre-mixed has almonds, cashews, raisins and chocolate chips. Literally whatever I found in my kitchen at the time.

If you don't make your own granola, or if you've never thought about doing it, here's 5 reasons why you should:

1) It's very minimal work. Trust me on this, because I'm the girl who looks for minimal work type of recipes. It's wet + dry, stir, spread on baking tray and you're good.
2) It's healthy! Butter is completely optional, and what with the 3 cups of oats you're throwing in there your heart will be thanking you.
3) Super versatile - everything but the kitchen sink, right?
4) Everyone will eat this. I have yet to meet someone who doesn't like granola.
5) It's homemade with no preservatives, so no weird chemicals going in that you can't spell.

I would love to know any other flavor combos you come up with!

Kitchen Sink Granola

Adapted from various sources

Note: the egg white here may be a bit strange to you, but it's a tip I picked up from Smitten Kitchen. Adding an egg white will give you extra chunky clusters, so if that appeals to you then add the egg white in. I actually prefer it more separated and loose, so I usually leave it out. With the liquid sweetener, I like maple syrup because it requires no heating/melting, but really it'll take seconds to warm honey or coconut oil or anything else in the microwave. Feel free to mix and match, e.g. honey + maple syrup. Go crazy and experiment!

3 cups (240g) rolled oats

2 cups nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans etc)

2/3 cup liquid sweetener (maple syrup, honey, golden syrup etc)

2 tbsp oil (vegetable oil, canola oil, coconut oil, butter etc)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1 egg white (optional, see Note above)

1 cup dried fruit (dried blueberries, dried cranberries, banana chips, raisins etc - you can also add chocolate chips)

Preheat your oven to 150C/300F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together oats, nuts, salt and spices. 

In a measuring cup, stir together oil and liquid sweeter (if needed, warm this briefly over low heat). Pour the liquid mixture over the oats and stir together until everything's well coated. If you're using the egg white, briefly whisk it until foamy then stir it into the oats as well.

Spread the mixture onto the baking sheet and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Give the mixture a stir about halfway through so it bakes more evenly.

Once done baking, take it out and stir in the dried fruit. Let it cool completely before storing.