Adaptation and creativity are necessary right now, yes? I find little moments arise daily where we assume something is available or accessible, and then to learn we are wrong. So we have to get creative! It might be (in our case recently) that we needed a crafting supply and would have run out to the store to grab it, only to realize after some brainstorming, that we had an alternative sitting at home and suited the project just fine. Or maybe an ingredient was forgotten at the arduous grocery run and now we have to adjust and get creative without it.
Granola is that hearty staple food exemplifying the notion of creative adaptability. One batch might have nuts and raisins and chocolate chips, the next might be heavier on the added seeds (flax, sesame, poppy) and very different spice blends added. It’s a great use of some extra nut butters you might have around. It’s easy, lasts for a long time in a sealed container, and tastes great in parfaits, on its own, or with a favorite milk. And don’t forget the fresh fruit to go alongside this!!
For this week’s live-streamed class on Facebook and Instagram, we will make a batch of granola. A sample recipe is below, but know we will talk about variations to this and offer ideas on how to adapt and get creative. Follow along with class on Saturday, May 30th @ 10am PST on Tiny Onion’s FB and Insta pages.
Homemade Granola
2 cups rolled oats (or 1 cup oats and 1 cup puffed grain cereal)
1 cup chopped nuts of your choice
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
OPTIONAL 1/4 cup or so of nut butter
1/4 cup coconut oil, butter, or olive oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon (or other spice blends)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
Set oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the oats and nuts in a large bowl and set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients and heat slowly over low-medium heat, until the mixture is hot but not boiling.
Add the oil mixture to the oats and stir well.
Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake for about 10-15 minutes, remove and stir, put back into the oven until it is golden and brown. Remove and let cool completely.