Recipe: Maple Walnut Granola

Maple Walnut Granola
Source: The Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook
Yield: 8 cups

6 cups rolled oats
2 cups walnuts, chopped coarsely
1/2 cup sesame seeds; up to 1 cup
1 cup barley flour or whole-wheat pastry flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg or cardamom
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate; or 2 tsp vanilla extract; optional

Preheat the oven to 300F.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients to a creamy consistency or blend in a blender for 1 minute.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and blend well.

Place half of the mixture on each of two cookie sheets or two large baking pans. The granola shouldn't be more than an inch deep.

Bake 1 hour gently turning over the granola with a spatula every 15 minutes. Switch the position of the trays, placing the top tray on bottom shelf, after 20 minutes of baking. Let cool.

The granola will become crunchy as it cools. Store in an airtight container in your refrigerator.