Boxed cereal can be found on sale for as little as $1 a box or $.10 a serving. I buy it at those prices and use it as part of my low-budget plan and steer towards low sugar, high fiber types. (Like bran flakes, and toasted oat rings.) I read an article that suggested even the low sugar varieties of boxed cereal aren’t as healthy as we hope.
Homemade Granola, soaked in yogurt to release even more vitamins, is a tasty alternative. I made my own version, which is still cooling and I can hardly keep my fingers out of the hot little bites.
Here’s the recipe I used: But you might also check out these sites: Seeking Faithfulness, Natural Health Information, Passionate Homemaking, Health Beings with Mom
6 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup plain skim yogurt
1/2 cup water
(Combine and soak overnight)
2 cups sunflower seeds
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar
(Mix into the soaked mixture)
1/2 cup vegetable oil, 3/4 cup honey, 1 teaspoon salt (combine in a small saucepan and heat until well combined) Pour over the oat mixture until well combined.
Spread granola into greased cookie sheets in a thin layer. Mine took 3 small sheets.
Bake at 250 for 60 minutes, stirring and rotating pans after each 20 minutes interval. Switch the pans one final time and turn the oven off. Leave the pans in the oven as the oven cools down, or overnight. Add 1-2 cups raisins or craisins if desired and store in a air tight container.
Tips to make granola inexpensive:
1. Keep your ingredients simple. The more things you add such as wheat germ, coconut, and other nut mixtures, the higher the cost.
2. Use sunflower seeds in place of other nuts.
3. Use honey instead of maple syrup.
4. Buy your rolled oats at Aldi, from a food coop, or from a bulk food store.
This sounds very interesting, I’ve never heard of one that was soaked like this! I might have to give it a try. I recently made another granola – I think it’s one of your recipes too, possibly – and my husband loves it (the one that gets mixed in with cornflakes). I’ve been making him granola for years, but it’s nice to shake things up and try new ones! 🙂
What does soaking the oats in yogurt do?
Soaking the oats removes phytic acid, which interferes with digestion and the absorption of essential vitamins.
It also makes nice little oat cluster clumps. The clumps are my favorite part of commercial granola, but until now were hard to reproduce at home.
I think I am going to have to try your recipie. I have wanted to make granola for so long but so many recipes have way to many ingredients my husband or children won’t eat. I love the simplicity of this one and the fact that there is NO coconut!
I tried your granola recipe yesterday. It was good, really easy to prepare, and it cost very little to make. I have to make minor adjustments next time because ovens and personal tastes vary but it’s a keeper.
Thank you so much for this recipe! It looks so much simpler than the other recipes I’ve seen that involved soaking. Very excited to try it!
Angela,
I make almost this exact recipe, minus the soaking. I didn’t know about that until now. Anyway, I have a serving suggestion. I like to serve ours layerd with yogurt (we use soy…don’t eat it very often…but I’m sure other yogurt would be great) in wine glasses or parfait dishes. Sprinkle fresh blueberries on top. Makes a yummy, special breakfast on occasion.
Blessings,
Amber
Question:
Do you soak in fridge or on the counter overnight?
Callie,
You need to soak it on the counter, because the active cultures in the bacteria need to be room temperature to do their work.