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Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 120 Minutes |
Ready In: 135 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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The best source that I know of for most of the ingredients in this recipe is Whole Foods Market, but you should be able to find them in other health food stores or better supermarkets. You can be fairly flexible about the amount of nuts and dried fruits, but remember, they provide most of the good flavor; the more fruits and nuts you include, the better it tastes, the more rolled oat, the cheaper it is to make. This recipe makes a real big batch, but it can be halved if desired. It keeps well. This can be a very expensive recipe, but I still think it is worth it !!! A little goes a long way! Ingredients:
1 cup honey, the stronger and richer,the better (buckwheat, or other dark colored raw honey preferred) |
1/2 cup applesauce |
1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine (can be replaced by an additional 1/2 cup applesauce to reduce fat) |
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon |
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg |
1 teaspoon ground allspice |
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom |
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional) |
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional) |
8 cups old fashioned oats (the coarser the better) |
1 cup toasted wheat germ |
1 cup wheat bran (optional) |
2 cups sliced almonds |
2 cups pecan pieces |
2 cups walnut pieces or 2 cups other nuts, of choice may be added or substituted |
3 cups unsweetened dried shredded coconut, divided (preferably strips, not flakes) |
1 -2 cup dried cranberries |
1 -2 cup dried sour cherries |
1 cup raisins or 1 cup dried currant |
1 cup dried apricot, cut into 3/8 inch chunks |
1 cup dried pineapple, cut into 3/8 inch chunks |
1 cup dried dates or 1 cup dried banana chips (or both) |
Directions:
1. Anything else that might look good to you.
2. Additional quantities of any of the above.
3. Combine first nine ingredients, honey through salt, in a medium saucepan.
4. Simmer over low heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Taste, and adjust spices if desired; if your spices are old, you might have to add a little more.
6. Preheat oven to 175 degrees F.
7. Combine next six ingredients, oats through walnuts, plus half of the dried coconut and half of mixed dried fruit in a very large oven-proof bowl.
8. Toss thoroughly with warm honey mixture.
9. Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring ever 15 minutes.
10. Add remaining coconut and dried fruit, and bake another 30 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
11. Remove from oven, test for dryness (mixture should be fairly dry; bake a little longer if it isnt.), allow to cool completely, and seal in plastic bags.
12. Will keep for weeks at room temperature, months refrigerated (bring to room temperature before serving), and God only knows how long frozen.
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