A Baking Practice + A Granola Recipe!
I’ll always be a home baker. No matter how many loaves I make for others or if the whole operation moves out of my kitchen oneday, I feel most grounded and creative as a baker next to my own stove, whipping up something for the people I love.
Every season of life so far, that baking practice has looked different. In college it was cinnamon rolls for a friends Easter and cookies all winter as a excuse to stay warm by the stove. Later it was trying recipes to find my husbands favorite so I could make it for him. And about 8 years ago, it turned to sourdough bread, a practice which lends itself perfectly to daily life. The rhythm of that bread baking metronome is a bit out off right now as I let my body rest, but the desire to pull something warm and toasty from the oven and feed it to my family is still very much there.
Years ago I started making us a batch of granola most weeks. I used to experiment with different oil and sweeteners, change up the spices and fillings. Now it’s a pretty rote process - the ingredients are usually mixed before the oven even reaches 300. I’ll give you a rough outline (it would be generous to call it a recipe) to follow to have your own batch of granola coming out of the oven an hour from now. Just be sure to experiment and make it your own.
Unmeasured Granola
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
In a large bowl combine 6 handfuls rolled oats (about 3 cups), 2 handfuls coconut flakes, 2 handfuls nuts (I use pecans) , a few scoops ground flaxseed (about 1/4 cup), a few shakes of cinnamon and a generous pinch of sea salt.
Add 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/2 cup maple syrup. Mix until oats, nuts and coconut are completely coated in liquid.
Spread the mixture evenly on your baking sheet and bake 45-50 minutes until toasty golden brown.
Allow to cool completely, crumble and store in a large jar.
*If you like dried fruit in your granola, bake the granola first then mix in the fruit right when you pull it out of the oven. Let it cool as normal.