Fermenting is popular these days, and a lot of what we call “functional foods” – foods good for you sans any other additions to them, like yogurt, a Biblical staple, is one of the items in this fun granola recipe. Matt Swaim, Sacred Heart Radio/Sonrise Morning Show and I chatted about these foods today and I shared what he says is a “real unusual” technique. Yes it is!

FERMENTED GRANOLA

Fermented granola
Recipe can be doubled or tripled. 

Ingredients base

4 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup or so coarsely chopped nuts, your choice

1/4 cup mixed seeds, your choice (hemp hearts, flax, chia, pumpkin, sunflower seeds are all good)

3 tablespoons or so dried coconut (optional but good)

Ingredients ferment

2/3 cup water

1/3 cup plain yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients coating

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed, honey, maple syrup or your choice of sweetener

1/3 cup oil 

2-3 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cinnamon to taste (l

Ingredients fruit

Up to 2 cups dried fruit, chopped coarsely if necessary

Instructions

In large bowl, mix oats and nuts together.

Whisk water, yogurt and vanilla together and pour over oat mixture, stirring well to coat.

Let ferment for 1 hour to 12 hours, stirring occasionally to keep mixture from clumping at bottom of bowl. 

Mix in seeds and coconut.

Whisk brown sugar, oil and extract together in small pan or microwavable container. 

Cook on low just until sugar melts, cool a bit, then pour over oat mixture and combine. 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Spread granola in single layers on sprayed sheet pans.

Bake, stirring about every 15 minutes, until granola is fairly crisp and golden. Depending upon the nuts and seeds you use, count on about 1 hour or more, but start checking after 45 minutes. Be patient!

Remove granola from pans, let cool, then stir in fruit. Granola will crisp up more after cooling.

Store, covered in pantry or refrigerator for a month or so.

Tips

Granola can be made without sweetener. 

Fruit is optional.

An energy boosting treat for kids and adults. 

Spread nut butter on a toasted bagel or English muffin, then sprinkle with granola.

Eat as a breakfast cereal or topping for yogurt.