Ingredients (all of the dry ingredients are available at most bulk stores):
- 3 cups raw rolled oats. Large flake is best, but any flake will do.
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut. Shredded is best, but any flake will do.
- 1 cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup raw sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1 cup slivered almonds
- 1/2-3/4 cup raisins, or more. Technically optional, but we’re definitely Team Raisin.
Directions (Yields about 8 cups):
- Preheat oven to 225.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine rolled oats, coconut, sunflower and sesame seeds.
- Add honey and oil to dry ingredients, stirring (or scrunching with clean hands) until well mixed. Tip: Measure oil in your measuring cup first, then use the same cup to measure your honey, and the honey will slide out easily.
- Add the cold water, mixing well into the ingredients.
- Pour mixture into a large baking or roasting pan. Spread evenly.
- Place on middle rack of preheated oven.
- Bake for 1 1/2 hours — stirring well every half hour.
- Add 1 cup slivered almonds and continue to bake for 1/2 hour longer, or until mixture is thoroughly dry and light brown in colour. Adjust cooking times or frequency of stirring as needed to suit your oven.
- Turn off the oven, and stir in the raisins while your cereal is still warm.
- Allow the cereal to cool in the oven. You might want to put something like a post-it note up to remind yourself that it’s in there so you don’t preheat the oven for something else and end up burning it… She said from too much experience…
- Once cool, put in a tightly covered container to keep fresh and store in a cool dry place. Serve plain, with milk, yogurt, kefir, fresh fruit…. Enjoy!