Yeah, We're Doing This
If you didn’t know, Joe Wilderness has got kitchen skills. We’re going to get in to my favorite granola to eat as a pre-hike breakfast. It’s got that good stuff to keep you going all morning and all day. And all night, if you know what I mean……night hiking. Gives you energy galore for some night hiking. Before we get in to it, I just gotta get the vibe right.
Wu Tang has got my kitchen boomin’. Lauren’s upstairs watching some slick-haired politician lie through his teeth. I’m ready to get my hands in to some ingredients. Which reminds me: first things first. Get all your shit out first, it’s gonna go a lot easier. You’re gonna need some measuring cups. Just grab all of ’em, let’s get wild. Then grab the measuring spoons too, ’cause some of the stuff you only need a bit of. Also get a bowl. Not the cereal kind. The big plastic kind. Big enough, unless you wanna make a mess. You’ll need all the ingredients too. Like this:
Gold Rush Granola
- Prep Time 15 Minutes
- Cook Time 30 Minutes
- Total Time 45 Minutes
- Serves Just You. Or lots of People
- Calories Lots. Just lots kcal
Ingredients
- 3 cups oats
- 1 cup sliced, unsalted almonds
- 3/4 cup puffed brown rice cereal
- 3/4 cup unsalted peanuts. Chopped, whole. Whatever, do you.
- 1/2 cup toasted coconut. Unsweetened is better.
- 1/2 cup glden raisins
- 1 tbsp chia seed
- 1 tbsp flax seed
- 1 tbsp hemp seed. This with the chia and flax are the optional trifecta of nutrious & delicious. Add them or don't, totally up to you.
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- pinch salt
- 1/2 cup honey. Don't be hoity toity, discriminating against different honey, use what you've got.
- 1/2 cup coconut/avocado oil.
Instructions
- Read below and I'll tell you what's up.
I’m gonna get to the recipe. But lemme tell you how good this granola is. Lemme tell you through the following testimonials from real people:
Get In There With Both Them Hands
Honestly, getting all the stuff out of the cupboards takes the most time. Like when you have everything but can’t find the damn cinnamon. Because it’s in your right hand while you search with the left. Once you’ve got all the above ingredients, measure out all the dry ingredients and throw them bad boys in the bowl. Toss em around, let everyone meet each other. Once it’s mixed, wet ingredients next. I suggest doing the oil first, so then the honey won’t stick to your measuring cup. Since you’re using the same one. Like I thought of that when I made this recipe. I believe he kids call that a kitchen hack. But, realistically, it’s just common sense. Now just mix allll that shit together. Both hands, don’t be shy.
Got your hands all dirty? Good. Now’s the perfect time to remember you didn’t get a pan out and line it with parchment paper. Nor did you turn the oven on to 275F to pre-heat. Thankfully, Lauren came to kitchen – and my rescue – at just the right time. You need a pretty big pan for this one. Spread it all over the pan, wait a few mins for that oven to pre-heat, then toss that pan right in the oven. I said pan. Not Pam.
Almost There!
So let this stuff bake at 275F for about 10 minutes, pull it out and stir it around the pan, then press it back down and throw it in for another 5 minutes. At the 15 minute mark, crank it all the way up – well, to 300F. Or 325F if you’re feeling krrrraazy. I like to stick to 300F. Let that go for another 5 to 7 minutes. Just keep an eye to make sure it isn’t burning. After that 5 to 7, just turn the oven off and open the oven door. Let that pam full of goodness rest right there in the oven for 15 or 20 minutes.
Where's That Easy Button?
And there you have it. My favorite trail breakfast. Thanks for hanging out. As for the big mess you just made? Well, if your house is anything like my house, just leave it all right there on the counter and in the sink. Tomorrow it will all be back where it belongs. Somehow. Just clean up your mess. This recipe made one large mason jar and two and a half regular sized jars. It’s what I had. I prefer to add warm, unsweetened almond milk and a splash of vanilla. Or to sprinkle this granola over the some plan Greek yogurt. Which I literally just did while writing this. And that’s it. The first ever Joe Wilderness recipe. It should cost you about $12. Lemme know if you try it.
