Homemade Low-Fat Granola

[amorsalado]

This recipe is courtesy of my mother. All her notes and observations are still attached; her comments are italicized. I figured the nutrition info, 'cause I'm just that nice! ;)

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal, uncooked
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (I used the low calorie kind)
• 1/4 cup apple juice (lite)
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup raisins, or dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried blueberries, whatever you like. (You might want to add a little more fruit, if you don't use the almonds.) {My note: I'm going to grind the almonds into powder in the food processor. That way I get the protein, healthy fat, and taste without the actual nut to get stuck in my intestines and make my endo go freaking nuts.}

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Stir together oatmeal, almonds, cinnamon and salt, if desired, in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk maple syrup, apple juice and olive oil; pour over the oatmeal mixture and stir to coat thoroughly.
3. Spread mixture in an even layer onto a 15x12 - inch baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring twice during baking time.
4. Cool mixture in the pan before adding raisins.
5. Store granola in an airtight container.

To serve: Pour 1 cup milk over a heaping 1/2 cup of granola. Top with fresh berries, if desired.
Serving suggestion: Instead of milk, top 1 cup of fat free yogurt with the granola.

I have never used it as cereal and milk, I always put it over yogurt.

Watch it closely, I burned the first batch I made. Yuuuuuuuuckyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!
I'm not sure, but I think I only cooked the last batch for about 20 minutes, or maybe even a little less. Just don't let it burn, because it's gross..........

My note:  I found that I had to bake mine for 30ish minutes, as I have a lower-end oven.  Just watch it very closely at the end, and if you have to add on time, only do it five minutes at a time!

The following nutrition information was figured using Quaker Oats, sugar free maple syrup, light apple juice, and dried cranberries as the fruit.  Of course the nutritional information will fluctuate depending on the type of syrup, juice, and fruit you choose to use.

Serving size is heaping 1/2 cup, and there are nine servings per batch of granola.

Calories : 218
Total fat  6 g
Saturated Fat : 1 g
Cholesterol: 5 mg
Sodium: 105 mg
Protein 8 g
Carbohydrates: 53 g
Dietary Fiber: 5 g



Serve with:

Crock Pot Yogurt 
Edited to add:  Holy shit you guys is this ever freaking GOOD!!