My fellow food bloggers are a constant source of inspiration to me… both in food and life in general. They really are a wonderful bunch of people who I consider my friends, even though we’ve never met in person. I set aside many recipes that they’ve created… for sometime down the track when time permits, or when the occasion or season is right. My ever-growing list is slightly bewildering with the sheer number of entries, but somewhat comforting in the fact that I know there will always be inspirational recipes to be found when I need them. Now and then, I see a recipe that I feel compelled to make that exact same day after reading it… often from pure excitement and the anticipation of tasting the wonderful new dish!
So, recently when I came across a fabulous post for Nutty Spiced Apple Granola on Trixie Pin’s ‘Almonds are Mercurial’ blog, I knew immediately that it was high time I too started making my own granola… or toasted muesli (as is oft called in this part of the world). I made up a batch that very same day! A few adaptations were made, due to the ingredients that I already had on hand in the pantry and also to personal preferences and whims… though this is exactly the sort of recipe I would expect people to adapt constantly… keeping it interesting.
Home-made Toasted Muesli/Granola | Gather and Graze
- 400g (4 Cups) Rolled Oats (or a mixture of oats/bran/barley/wheat etc.)
- 100g (⅔ Cup) Raw Macadamia Nuts (Chopped Roughly)
- 100g (⅔ Cup) Raw Almonds (Chopped Roughly)
- 100g (⅔ Cup) Raw Cashews (Chopped Roughly)
- 100g (½ Cup) Sunflower Seeds
- 100g (½ Cup) Pepitas
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- ¼ Teaspoon Sea Salt
- 100g (⅓ Cup) Honey
- 100g (½ Cup) Brown Sugar
- 60mls (¼ Cup) Sunflower Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Vino Cotto (optional, but adds fabulous flavour)
- 75g / ½ Cup Dried Apple (Chopped fairly small)
- 100g / ½ Cup Dried Peach (Chopped fairly small)
Pre-heat the oven to 150°C and set aside 2 large baking trays.
In a large mixing bowl, place the oats, chopped nuts, seeds and spices. Stir to combine.
In a small saucepan, mix together the honey, brown sugar, oil and Vino Cotto. Stir over low/medium heat until the brown sugar has dissolved. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to coat the oats and nuts well.
Spread this mixture out evenly over 2 large baking sheets and place into the oven for approximately 30-35 minutes (giving it a stir every 10 minutes to make sure that the oats and nuts don’t brown too quickly… or burn). Note that the mixture will still be soft when you remove it from the oven.
Allow the mixture to cool (and dry) completely, before tossing through the chopped dried fruit and placing into an airtight container.
Notes on Cooking:
- The variations for substituting grains, nuts, seeds and fruit are endless – be adventurous!
Gather & Graze 
Ooh your homemade granola looks so good! How do you stop from eating it all in one sitting, Margot??
Thanks Patty, I’ve just made my third batch today… each time a little different from the last. Lots of experimenting to find the best possible flavour… though they’ve all been really delicious so far! 🙂
Wow, this looks wonderful and it’s always so satisfying to make things like this from scratch and by one’s own hands. Makes it all the more delicious! And hear hear re having sight-unseen awesome friends via blogging because that’s how I feel about you FOR SURE! Beautiful pix by the way!
Thanks Azita for your very sweet and generous comment! 🙂
Looks amazing Margot! I fell equally in love with this recipe when I saw it on Trixie’s blog, nice to see that it turned out so perfectly! I actually had the privilege of meeting Trixie a couple of weeks ago. She is such a sweet, gorgeous person – just as wonderful as you’d think from her blog! Aren’t blogging friends amazing! I do hope that we’ll get to meet one day too (sorry for getting so behind on posts since leaving home – argh! I feel like I’ve missed so much!). Great post Margot xxx
Cheers Laura, I hope we get to meet one day too! So very exciting that you and Trixie got to catch up and meet in person! Thanks for your kind comment and I hope that the travelling adventure is going fabulously! Look forward to seeing where you’ve been in your next post. 🙂
That looks delicious and so healthy Margot. I have been meaning to make my own muesli for years you have motivated me to finally do it 🙂
Thanks Karen! There’s no turning back once you start making your own… so much yummier! I’ve just finished making my second batch today, with a few adjustments to the ingredients… added some shredded coconut and some dried cranberries to this one. 🙂
I love homemade granola! Looks delicious.
Thanks very much Mary! 🙂
Looks healthy and delicious at the same time, Margot! Not a very common mix I must say. What’s not to love? 🙂
Thanks so much Francesca – it’s almost all gone, so time to make up another batch! I think the mix will change each and every time I make it… just to keep it interesting! 🙂
DELICIOUS! 🙂
Thanks very much Nell!
Homemade granola are always best
So true! 🙂
This really does sound good, Margot. As much as I love muesli, I’ve never made it for myself. Although I’m sure homemade would be best, I fear that I would make too much and tire of it before I’ve finished the batch. When i buy it, I can buy as much or as little as I want. Still, your recipe really sounds good. I bet I could play around with the quantities a bit and lessen the likelihood of growing disinterested. Did I mention how good your recipe sounds? 🙂
Absolutely John… perhaps just make up half the quantity and see how long that lasts. We seem to be getting through this batch pretty quickly, so I imagine it will only last us about a week before I need to bake up some more. Homemade really does taste much better in my opinion – freshly baked and crispy! 🙂 Hope you’re having a wonderful week!
I love muesli but store bought varieties are way too high in sugar, so I’ve been thinking of making my own for a while now. Apple puree is a great idea that I’d never thought of using – will definitely have to give it a try now 🙂
Hi Sam, I’d never thought of using fruit puree either… and you certainly wouldn’t know that it’s been coated in it when it comes out of the oven. Next time I’m going to try a batch without the brown sugar (but increasing the honey and puree slightly to compensate) and see how that goes in terms of flavour. Hope you give it a try! 🙂
Even though I know it’s good for me – and that it tastes amazing – I’d be asleep halfway through eating a bowlful. It’s too much like hard work for me first thing! I can just about get coffee going. Besides, my teeth! Although I’m still ploughing my way through loads of nuts, seeds and stuff. Just takes me longer than usual. Of course, the harsh reality is that you’re putting me to shame. So should be tucking into this rather than slurping over my coffee and dangling a roll-up around…picture of health doesn’t spring to mind, does it. 🙂
What if you chopped the nuts and fruit a little finer – would that help at all? I certainly don’t sit down to a huge bowlful of this each morning either… my portions are fairly small, usually mixed in with some Greek yoghurt, which I’m finding is good for keeping my immune system up (particularly through the winter with all the coughs, colds and flus going around). Hope you’re well Johnny. How are the hedgehogs coming along? Any photos yet?? 🙂
No. What I do is add them whole or broken to my veggie burgers, and they soften sufficiently. Still eating loads of nuts and seeds. But they’re not warding off rubbish little colds, like I have right now. It’s a week later and I’m decidedly bored with!
Thought you should be the first I give the link to for my new web site/blog (even though I won’t be blogging). Even though I’ve only just started it today. Well, building it. http://kitschnflavours.wordpress.com/
Not at all sure where it’s heading. But I really want to further baking, somehow. 🙂
Oh that’s fabulous news Johnny! I’m excited to know that you’ll be back in some way, shape or form! Will it be primarily a visual site, sharing what you’ve been creating in the kitchens… rather than recipes etc? I’ll be watching with interest as it develops! 🙂
PS. Love that the Chocolate Crackle Cookies have made an appearance already! I REALLY need to make another batch of those sometime soon! 🙂 Oh, and your photos on Flickr are amazing… not sure why I haven’t seen them before now, but was so impressed by all the creative and thoughtful images you’ve taken around the world!
If anything it’ll be more along the lines of starting a small catering business…I’m hoping! I’ve just selected a new theme tonight, so I’ll be playing with that tomorrow. It’ll take a few days to sort it out. 🙂
That’s really exciting Johnny! Wishing you all the best with your new venture… I can’t wait to see more!
Yum I’ll be making that!
Lovely… happy to hear it Ali! xx
Oh I love granola and love making it. This one is full of lots of good for you and delicious fruits and nuts and grains. Adding apple puree is a great idea. Must try,
Hi Suzanne, I agree… part of the fun is in the actual making of it! I’m keen to try it without the sugar next time, but increasing the puree and honey to compensate and have enough liquid to coat the grains fully. Interesting to experiment with this one! 🙂
Healthy breakfast!
Thanks Ema! 🙂
Miss6 is a real breakfast gal and in winter she loves porridge but this would be the perfect summer breaky 🙂
Yes, perfect for the summertime with milk or Greek yoghurt! and fabulous that you can tailor it to the fruit, nuts, grains that she likes the most too!
Lovely looking muesli! I think adding macadamia nuts makes everything 10 times better – why didn’t I do that?!
Thank you for your sweet comments and I’m glad I provided a little inspiration although I have no doubt you would have done it without me sooner or later!! 😉
Nice one you two!
Cheers Stacey! 🙂
I think I may have over-baked it slightly… but still totally delicious and a joy to wake up to each morning! This really is something I’m kicking myself for not creating sooner… all those years of expensive bags of toasted muesli, when I could have been eating this! I guess you live and learn… 🙂 Thanks once again for sharing your recipe Trixpin!
Yaaaay, two of my favourite blogging girls in one post! ❤
Infinitely adaptable – my sort of recipe! Like you I have a list of must try recipes (some of which I shall probably forget before the season comes around) but some I make that day because I so want to eat it. Yes, I do mean your Butterscotch self saucing Pudding.
🙂 Very sweet of you Anne – thank you! I’ve just rearranged some of my pinterest boards to try to put a little more order into my expanding collection of ‘Recipes to Try’ – it was inspiration in itself, looking through all those photos!
This does look good Margot. I’ve been making muesli for years and I’ve never toasted it, it time for a change! Thanks
I’m sure the natural/non-toasted variety is much healthier, but this is such an oh so delicious way of starting the day. I’m keen to try adjusting the ingredients next time to leave out the brown sugar and replace with a little more honey or fruit puree… to see how that effects the flavour. Thanks for your kind comment!
This looks like a delicious home-made recipe Margot, I like the addition of ground cloves (spicy)!
Thanks Linda… the spices are what really make this granola come alive. It will be great to experiment with different types and quantities in the future to see what tastes the best. Hope you’re having a great week!
this looks absolutely amazing!!
Thanks very much Samiya 🙂