Quick Stove Top Granola: No Oven Required

If you're anything like me, you always end up burning the granola that needs to be baked in the oven. There is that tiny window of time that consists of mere seconds were it goes from being just crunchy enough, to black and smelly. I don't think I have ever NOT burned a granola recipe, and I've tried many. I LOVE granola. After some experimenting and much taste testing on B's part, here is my solution: Stove Top Granola. It's so, so quick. I can make about one batch in ten to fifteen minutes.

Quick Granola: No Oven Required 

This recipe makes a little less than two cups of granola, which is all I like to keep around for lack of storage space in our kitchen.  

1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil

1 ¼ cup quick cooking oats

¼ tablespoon group cinnamon

2 tablespoons butter (use vegan butter if you have some on hand)

1/8 cup honey

1 tablespoon maple syrup (add extra honey if you don’t have this one hand)

1/8 cup brown sugar

½ sliced almonds

¼ craisins (any dried fruit you have on hand would work)

 

Heat oil in pan on stove top and add oats and cinnamon. Keep on medium heat for about ten minutes or so, stirring constantly so you don’t burn them. You want them slightly toasted (this is where you can go very, very wrong and end up with that burned taste in all of the granola). I’d even say it’s better not to get them toasted at all than to over toast. So when you’re ready, transfer this oat mixture to another plate. Now add butter, honey, maple syrup, and brown sugar in the pan. Once mixture looks caramelized, reduce heat and add the oats back in the pan. You want to keep the heat on low so it doesn’t harden too quickly and you can still stir the mixture around while adding the rest of the ingredients. You may now add the almonds and dried fruit. I ALWAYS have craisins on hand, but some other things I like to add include flax seeds, wheat germ, coconut, and chia seeds. The seeds don’t always stay in the mixture very well and end up being quite messy, so I didn’t add them this time. Once mixed well, move granola to cookie sheet or large plate to allow to cool. Enjoy with some yogurt!!

I recently read in a magazine than cranberry juice and yogurt help keep high blood pressure down. These are two things I have as part of my breakfast routine almost every single day. I love mixing this granola with any yogurt for some extra protein and crunch! Yum yum! What are some things you guys like to try in your granola?

Happy cooking!