This week I am excited to go hunting in my own pantry for loose odds and ends in order to make some granola.
I have heard this concept also being referred to as “shopping your pantry” where you look for stuff in your own food storage before buying more.
Having made granola many times, and many of those times following a recipe, I have realized it is hard to go wrong making it. It does not matter (at least to me or my family) that we don’t have a theme to it- like a clean name for a granola- walnut cranberry granola or rose pistachio granola, or whatever fanciness you can come up with.
As long it has goodies, and tastes good, it works. Because getting those themed granolas from the market, or even buying good quality ingredients to make it costs a lot of money- organic nuts are not cheap!
This is where the scruffy mutt of granola made from shopping one’s own pantry before shopping the grocery store helps both with using up food in the house, and reducing costs. Putting whatever is left of seeds, nuts and dry fruits at home feels very satisfying to see containers get cleaned up, and months old dry foods being put to good use.
To make my “Mutt” Granola, here is the basic proportion I will be following:
6 Parts Dry Ingredients to 1 Part Wet Ingredients
Dry Ingredient Breakdown:
3 part oats
1 part nuts
1 part seeds
1 part other (coconut flakes, cacao nibs, puffed grain etc.)
Wet Ingredient Breakdown:
1 part fat (coconut oil, ghee)
1 part liquid sweetener (maple syrup, honey)
Seasoning: (to taste)
Salt
Spices (cinnamon, cardamom, pumpkin pie mix etc.)
Vanilla extract
To be added at the end:
1 part Dry Fruits and/or chocolate chips (1 part of the dry ingredients, eg. for 3 cup oats, 1 cup dry fruits)
Mix wet ingredients plus seasoning to dry ingredients.
Spread out and bake at 300 F for 45 minutes or so stirring every 10-15 minutes till golden brown. Then mix in the dry fruits/chocolate chips.
Et Voila!
[Adapted from
Of course my seeds, nuts and dry fruit categories will be made of whatever I have, and using them all will make me immensely happy, and a decent granola, if you ask me 🙂
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