Granola Recipe From Mom's Hippie Youth

by Marisa McClellan, Posted Aug 31st 2007 @ 10:15AM

an old serving spoon, filled with homemade granola

Back in the early 1970's, my mom had a friend named Melinda who had a small business making homemade granola. One day, on her way home from shopping for several weeks worth of ingredients in her VW Beetle, she was rear ended. She was not hurt, but the force of the impact sent oats, nuts, raisins, oil and honey flying all over the interior of the car. Even after the body work was completed, the car was never the same. She stopped making granola sometime soon after that. Customers all over the Bay Area mourned her choice, as it was very, very good granola. Thankfully, before she closed up shop, she shared the recipe with a few fortunate people. I thank my lucky stars that my mom happened to be among that number.

This much-coveted recipe is after the jump. It is delicious eaten with yogurt, given away as gifts and eaten as a before-bed snack, right out of the jar or bag in which you are storing it.

photo by Marisa McClellan

Melinda's Homemade Granola Recipe (You can watch me make it here).

2 cups rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup peanuts or toasted almonds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup coconut (I always use unsweetened, but you can go for the sweetened kind if you'd like)
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ (I often omit this ingredient, as I tend to forget to buy it)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried fruit (dried apricots, craisins and dried apple are all delicious choices)
scant 1/4 cup cooking oil (not olive)
1/2 cup honey

Mix the oat, nuts and grains in a large bowl.
Measure oil into the measuring cup and swirl it around before pouring into bowl.
Then measure out the honey in the same, unwashed cup. The oil will help the honey exit the cup.
Toss everything together until evenly coated and then pour out into a baking pan. I use a large roasting pan, as it keeps everything contained. A cookie sheet with a lip also works, but you have to stir it slightly more carefully if you use that.
Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes, turning it with a spatula every ten minutes or so. You want everything to be an even golden brown.
When it is finished cooking, returned the baked granola to the mixing bowl, add the raisins and fruit and stir to combine. Stir gently several times as it cooks, so that it doesn't clump together too much.
Enjoy!

Filed Under: Ingredients, Methods
Tags: america, baking, breakfast, grains, granola, hippies, honey, nuts, oats, raisins, VW Beetle

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

1-12-2011 @12:54AM susiecnm said... great granola template. i used dates and raisins and substituted flax seeds for the sesame seeds, replaced honey with half maple syrup/agave nectar to make it vegan friendly. just like my hippy days! suggest cutting back cooking time by about 5 minute.
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1-14-2011 @4:26PM Shelley said... I have made this granola multiple times, and the recipe is wonderful. Far better than anything I have purchased. Thank you for sharing.
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8-31-2007 @2:52PM thefishie said... This sounds fantastic, I think I'll make it this weekend for snacking. It should be a lot healthier than the usual chips and junk I eat all Labor Day weekend.

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8-31-2007 @5:36PM Marion in Savannah said... Thanks so much for posting this. It sounds absolutely delicious, and it's also going to be a great gift for hostess gifts, office gifts, etc. Thanks, thanks, THANKS!
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8-31-2007 @7:34PM Janis said... Good sounding recipe with ingredients I like. I loved the video!
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9-01-2007 @5:18PM thefishie said... WOW. I just made this and I have to say THANK YOU for sharing, I've had a favorite recipe for granola that's always been good, but this is even better. Granola fans, I recommend trying this recipe!

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9-01-2007 @8:35PM alosha7777 said... wow, I have actually never even considered making my own granola. thanks marisa, this sounds fantastic!!
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9-08-2007 @3:07AM Sam Becker said... I made this yesterday, and it is a fantastic recipe...my wife is newly pregnant, and she has stated definitively that she won't be craving anything but this from now on! Thanks so much.
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9-08-2007 @3:54PM Gino said... I just wanted you to know, I've been coming to Slashfood for almost 2 years and I've never used any of the recipes until today.

Me and my friend had talked about making granola for a long time and when I saw this recipe a couple days ago, I said I had to do it, and I did!

I kinda wish it was just a little bit sweeter, but it's amazing. I made a double batch, excluded the Wheat Germ, and substituted mixed nuts (Cashews, Almonds, Walnuts, Pecans, Macadamia Nuts) instead of the Peanut/Almond combo and it's absolutely delectable and easy. It worked out exactly as you said it would. Thank you for this recipe.
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