Vanilla Almond Granola

I have a love/hate relationship with granola. Most store bought boxed versions are too high in sugar and low in protein to really mesh well with me. I end up hyper and then crashing from the sugar rush it gives me, so I've experimented with making my own. I think I finally hit on the right mix, and then someone requested I share it...which meant I had to go figure out what I'm actually doing when tossing the ingredients together! I think I got it right with these measurements, so this is for you, Shannon!

Vanilla Almond Granola

Ingredients:

• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 cup sliced or slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup sunflower or other oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

1. In a glass measuring cup, mix: oil, honey and vanilla.
2. Stir well to incorporate the mixture
3. Pour oats into a large bowl.
4. Drizzle liquid over oats, stirring to coat completely. For a stickier, clumpier granola let this mixture sit about 30 minutes. For a drier, sprinklier granola, proceed to step 5 immediately. (this is what I do...because I'm impatient)
5. Stir almonds into coated oat mixture.
6. Add cinnamon and stir WELL.
7. Add brown sugar and stir again.
8. Spread evenly onto cookie sheet. For clumpier granola, squeeze some areas into balls by gripping in your hands. (I don't bother with this)
9. Bake until brown, stirring at least twice. The official process calls for slow baking at 250 degrees for an hour and a half. My method, as an impatient and sloppy chef, is to use the heat from something else I've cooked to brown the granola. When I pull out whatever else I've been cooking and turn off the oven, I toss the granola in and let it sit for 1-2 hours until brown and toasty. This takes less electricity (which makes the granola cost SO much less), leaves the house smelling yummy and has less chance of  burning when I forget it's in the oven. This is often. C'mon, we're talking about me here!
10. When toasted, store in plastic bag, glass jar, etc. Enjoy over yogurt or with milk.

This recipe was concocted to meet my own , rather plebeian, tastes for granola. Check out the exotic mix-ins you can add at these sites I used for guidance while developing my own preferred recipe.

This one ended up closest to the batch I like so well!  And I want to try out  blueberry granola and her baking tips for getting a softer, chewier version next!