On eating granola

First week of freshman year of college, my older, wiser sister came to visit us in Bloomington, Indiana. She took one look at my friends and me and said, “Are you ever going to stop dressing granola?” I don’t know if I would have called myself granola then or now (though I’ll admit, I had a ragged and beloved pair of Birkenstocks to match cargo pants in every color), but one thing I know for sure is that I start every day now with a big bowl of homemade granola. It’s more yummy and cheaper to make than any granola at the store, and it’s easy to make, to boot. I try to make enough on Sundays to last the week, but it’s so delicious that we don’t always get through. Eat it over yogurt (more about homemade yogurt to come) with fruit, and you’ll be full ’til lunch.

HOMEMADE GRANOLA

1/2 of a large container of Old Fashioned oats
2 cups Steel Oats (optional)
8oz. of honey (until mixture forms clumps)
1/2 cup peanut butter
Chopped nuts (I like pecans the best, almonds, walnuts or the lot of it)
t salt
2T cinnamon
2T oil
Flax seed (optional–buy it in any health food aisle or store, ground up or whole)
Wheat germ (optional)
Cup of raisins

Mix all the ingredients, except the raisins and bake in a 9×13 glass dish at 300 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the raisins. Enjoy by itself, with milk or over yogurt.

I rarely measure when I’m cooking, so all of these measurements are approximate. Change as you please!