Thursday, April 28, 2011

Peanut Butter Granola Clusters


We happen to have  a surplus of raw milk and all my men have been begging for granola.

So last night we made a batch of our favorite granola.  My guys like big clusters, so I tweaked our recipe a bit and everyone was cheering this morning when they discovered that this granola was nearly All clusters.

When I make granola it involves lugging out big five gallon buckets and there is Always a mess involved.


To save time and frustration I do an extra big batch.  If you want to try our recipe, feel free to reduce the amounts. I promise it won't effect the end product.


Peanut Butter Granola Clusters

Combine in a large bowl or bucket

  • 20 c. Rolled Oats or Rolled Mixed Grains


This time around I used   10 cups of Rolled 7 Grain Mix & 10 cups of Quick Oats

If you use all rolled grains and no quick oats, you may want to pulse about half of the rolled grain in a blender so that it is easier for littles to chew.

  • 4 c. unsweetened shredded coconut  -(you can swap sweetened and reduce the sugar a bit)
  • 3 cups Sucanat -(or raw sugar, or brown sugar)
  • 3 c. Raw Wheat Germ
  • 3 c. chopped nuts -(your choice - we often use peanuts)
  • 1 c. Ground Flax Seed -(or Chia Seed)
  • 2 tsp. Sea Salt
  • 4 tsp. Ground Cinnamon


In a blender combine

  • 1 1/3 c. Coconut Oil (or swap for an oil you keep in stock if you don't use coconut oil)
  • 1 1/3 c Honey (measure it with the cup you measured your oil in and it will slide right out)
  • 1 1/3 cup of Natural Peanut Butter * (see note)
  • 2 TBL Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1 cup Water


Blend wet ingredients until combined and then mix the wet ingredients thoroughly into the dry mixture.
Spray your baking pans with non-stick spray or coat with oil or butter.
I divide this quantity between 4 large 12x18 sided cookie sheets.

Press the mixture down firmly, as if you were making granola bars.
You will need to bake these in two batches.
Adjust two oven racks to the center of your oven, place one cookie sheet on the top-center, and the other on the bottom-center.
 Bake at 350 for 15 min and rotate the pans from top to bottom and bottom to top and bake another 15 min until golden.
Allow granola to cool in the pans and then break into clumps. Store in an airtight container.  Enjoy!


*Note:
If you have a powerful blender (like a Vitamix or Blendtec) you can substitute 3c. of peanuts for the peanut butter and blend these with your oil, honey, water and vanilla until it is smooth and creamy.

6 comments:

  1. LeAnn~
    Where do you buy your bulk oats?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey Stacy, I purchase a lot of bulk items through a bulk food co-op.

    The only co-op that services this southeastern part of the USA is UNFI (United Natural Foods Inc.

    Depending where you live there may be other and better options for natural food co-ops. Our co-op has no membership charges or fees, it only requires that I come 1 hr early to help sort the order once every 4 months. Because I have to drive a good distance I only order every four months, and this works fine for us.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What lovely pictures and what yummy granola.
    Maybe I will make some tomorrow.
    Always did like it!
    Miss you sweetie!
    Your mama

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks, LeAnn. I'll have to track down a place to get such huge quantities. :) I often think it's crazy how often I'm in bulk foods section, scooping oats into small bags. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. What lids do you use for your buckets? I can't buy bulk here in LA, but will once we move back to VA in a year.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I LOVE GAMMA seals but I don't have many of them. Most of my buckets come from local grocery bakeries, etc so I use whatever comes with them as long as they seal tightly. Dh just told me I can purchase a few GAMMA seals and I am thrilled.
    check them out here
    http://www.antonline.com/p_500426-GP_641989.htm?sID=GP
    These things last forever and are so easy to use but at $7 a peice....OUCH!

    ReplyDelete

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