Steel Cut Granola
Most mornings, I start the day with a big mug of coffee (Sparkplug, of course) and a bowl of homemade granola mixed with yogurt and fruit (fresh or dried, depending on my mood and laziness level. Dried is easier and faster.)
I recently bought a giant bag of organic, quick-cooking steel cut oats which led me to wonder how they would work in granola. Some googling and experimenting with a favourite base granola recipe led to this recipe. It's a teeny bit sweeter than my usual recipe but WAY less sweet than grocery store granolas. And is crazy high in fiber, protein and deliciousness.
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Sparkplug Coffee's Steel Cut Granola Recipe
Makes: 6 cups (more or less)
Adapted from Style At Home’s Merry Meusli (Nov. 2012) and ideas for steel cut oats found on the Interweb.
Ingredients:
3 cups steel cut oats
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds
1/4 cup hemp hearts
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
1/3 cup unsalted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup raw sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300°F
Stir together grains, seeds, nuts, raw sugar, salt & cinnamon
Mix oil, vanilla & honey. Gently heat in a saucepan or microwave, if needed, to melt honey and combine
Pour the liquid over the dry and stir to combine
Spread the mixture onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper
Bake for 20 minutes
Stir and add coconut flakes and any already roasted seeds or nuts. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until golden and toasted. Careful not to overcook and burn
Remove from the oven. Let cool for at least 1 hour without touching. When cool, break into chunks and store in airtight container
Alterations & Options:
For crumbly muesli, stir every 10 minutes while baking and stir just after removing from the oven
Base recipe assumes raw nuts & seeds. If yours are already roasted, add them in the final 15-20 minutes of baking along with the flaked coconut
Feel free to add 1 cup of dried fruit once it’s cool (or a spoonful to your cereal bowl)
What Are Steel Cut Oats?
Steel cut oats are oats that have been cut up into small pieces instead of steamed and rolled flat like oatmeal (rolled oats). Nutritionally, all oats are the same. Steel cut oats are less processed than rolled oats and have a chewier texture, even after cooking. Steel cut oats have a lower glycemic index than other oats. In most recipes, steel cut oats can NOT be substituted for rolled oats. And vice versa - if it calls for steel cut, use steel cut!
Want to know more? The Kitchn has a great article about the Difference Between Steel-Cut, Rolled and Instant Oats.