Homemade Granola Recipe

So I bought these Old Fashioned Oats at Freetown Supermarket a little over a month ago.

I was really excited when I found the oats because all I had seen prior was quick cooking oats.  And we all know how much healthier the old fashioned oats are because they are so much less processed than the quick cooking and have lots more fiber.

Alright, off of my nutrition soapbox...

Unfortunately after a week or so of making hot oatmeal in the morning I find that my oatmeal is infested with these little black beetles about 2-3 mm long.  I was so bummed.  However the oatmeal was really expensive and I didn't want to waste it.  So I did what all of you would have done.  No I did not go out and buy a new box... I put that box in the freezer to kill the little buggers!  And it worked!

The only problem is that every time I wanted a bowl of oatmeal I had to sift through the oatmeal and clean out the dead little beetles.  I got lazy and the box sat upon the shelf for a few weeks until I decided to make some meatloaf.  I know you must be thinking "I wanted a granola recipe... not a meatloaf recipe".  I promise its coming!  Well I used oats instead of breadcrumbs in my meatloaf and it turned our quite delicious!

Well I go to find there are more LIVE bugs in the oats!  I think there must be some eggs or something hatching at different intervals.  I have no idea? Anyways, I get sick of sifting out these little beetles and decide I am just going to get rid of the rest of this box of oats by making some granola.  That will really kill the buggers!  So that's what I did!

Kaysie's Homemade Granola

6 cups old-fasioned rolled oats (hopefully yours are bug free)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup of honey (I mixed a mild honey with a stronger local honey that reminds me of buckwheat honey)
1 TBS cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
1. heat up brown sugar, oil, and honey on the stove till sugar is dissolved.
2. add to rolled oats
3. add desired seasonings
4. spread out onto a pan (or 2)

5. cook at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes stirring halfway between

Here is the finished product

Here is my breakfast this morning.  A half of a grapefruit cut up with 1/2 cup or so of granola.  Very tasty!

In my instructions I did not include having to pick out the dead bugs at each stage of the preparing process.  I just picked them out as I saw them... after mixing the ingredients together... after I spread them out into the pan... while stirring the granola... and after it was over.  I probably picked out 30-40 beetles.  Did I get them all?  I'm not sure... Would I buy these same oats again with the risk of having to deal with more bugs?  Probably because the granola is soooo good!  If I was in the states I might sub the brown sugar for agave, but they don't have that here.  I may try soaking and blending some dates next time because they do have those here and would make a much healthier yet still sweet replacement for the brown sugar.

Happy New Years!