This recipe will fill a 10-tray dehydrator and make two, large airtight canisters of granola; the perfect solution for hungry teens or overnight guests. And it’s a fraction of the cost of store bought granola—minus the sugars and hydrogenated fats.
When it’s made in a food dehydrator, it’s hassle-free and turns out perfectly without the need to stir constantly as with conventional baking. (You may bake it in a conventional oven at low heat, but make sure you stir it continually. A food dehydrator combines heat and air circulation. It bakes and dries it simultaneously; thus, there’s no need for stirring it.)
Mix in a large dishpan:
2 (42-ounce) containers rolled oats
4 cups chopped walnuts; 4 cups hulled raw sunflower seeds; or 4 cups unsalted peanuts
In a VitaMix or high-speed blender:
4 ripe bananas
2 (46-ounce) jars unsweetened applesauce
1 (8-ounce) bag of dates or prunes
1/3 cup cinnamon
Directions:
Toss the dry ingredients together in a large dishpan. Then, with clean hands, massage the fruit paste into the dry ingredients until thoroughly saturated. It should be “clumpy.”
Divide and spread thinly onto trays lined with BPA-free silicone sheets or parchment paper. This recipe fills a 10-tray dehydrator.
Set dehydrator to 135 degrees for 15 hours.
When it’s done, simply put the granola back into the dishpan and toss with dried fruit such as raisins, dried cherries, etc.
Store in airtight containers.
It’s a crowd pleaser!
Tip: Whenever I have ripe bananas, I cut them up and collect the pieces in a gallon size Ziploc bag in the freezer.
Also, this recipe can be tweaked to make oat bars as well. Simply, add a bit more fruit past, unsweetened coconut flakes, and dark chocolate chunks or frozen blueberries. . . and press the chunky batter firmly into two-9x13 pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. When they are cool, cut into bars and store in airtight containers.
I store them in the freezer, and then set out the amount needed. This makes the perfect breakfast bar for school age kids.
Emily Boller, wife, mother, painter, and author is on a mission to create expressive works of art in her lifetime; and to bring awareness to the potentially harmful traps of diet-wellness culture. In her free time, she loves to chase sunrises, grow flowers and vegetables, and can homemade soups.