Looking For A Good Snack?

I love granola. 

Muesli is what it's called overseas, so I get tickled when I see it labeled that way in restaurants and groceries here in the States.

I feel so cultured. ;-)

Throughout my 19+ years as a homemaker, I've been through several "favorite" granola recipes. The first one I used came from Karey Swan's Hearth & Home.

Later, I came across a couple of Southern Living recipes, a Martha Stewart recipe, and one from a celebrity chef (although I don't recall which one).

These were all good.

In fact, Southern Living recipes are among my favorites in many categories.

I felt perfectly content with my arsenal of muesli options until that fateful day when I visited my amazing friend, Lauren, in Indiana.

One taste of her delectable, perfectly-textured granola, accompanied by her refreshing homemade yoghurt, and I was hooked!

Being the sweet Titus 2-type homemaking pal that she is, Lauren was delighted to share the recipe with me.

Being my father's daughter, I had to personalize it.

Following the basic framework of David Lebovitz's recipe, I made these changes:

*Instead of the full measurement of almonds, I use half almonds and half pecans.

*I detest sunflower seeds, and I'm not so crazy about sesame seeds, either, so I substitute with

flax seeds & millet 

*Instead of brown sugar, I use Honey Granules.

*While making the sauce, I like to grate orange zest into the pan with the other ingredients.

*The recipe calls for rice syrup, which I'll use if I have it on hand. If not, I use honey in its place.

Where the recipe calls for honey, I use this same measurement of agave nectar, instead.

*My final substitution is coconut oil in the place of vegetable oil. 

~We really love this stuff. 

I even use it to remove eye make-up, and it helped to repair the damage done to my hair while living in southern Africa.

But there are those who can better expound upon the multiple uses of coconut oil (try here, for a start).~

*Oh! I almost forgot. When I made this a few days ago, I didn't realize that we were out of millet, so I used pepitas, aka pumpkin seeds, instead.

It's fun to add shredded coconut and/or dried blueberries and/or dried cranberries and/or dried apricots...

Use your imagination.

My favorite way to eat this is with homemade yoghurt and chopped fresh fruit.

Bliss, I tell you.

ETA:

Obviously, the original recipe is necessary to follow, as I merely listed the changes I make.

This recipe can easily be doubled. 

I do so because I live with boys whose last name should have been

Hoover.