Sun Oven Granola

At Bobcat Ridge, we usually start the morning with whole grains and protein. Granola with yogurt or rice milk is a fan favorite, and makes for a quick and easy meal before the day's work. Ken and Nancy have perfected their recipe, with clumpy bits of granola and a slightly sweet flavor.

We made ours in the sun oven, so it tasted even better with the knowledge that we were saving energy.

We also harvested giant sunflowers growing in garden. After letting the flowers dry out for a few days, we tried a few different methods to hull the seeds. We tried laying them flat and rolling with a rolling pin, but that didn’t work. We also tried putting them through the flourmill on the coarsest setting, but that just clogged the mill. We ended up going old school, using our fingers to crush each husk. Needless to say, it was no quick task. The seeds were added to the granola for extra nutrition and crunch.

Here's what you'll need:

· 16 cups rolled oats

· 1 cup walnuts, almonds or pecans, chopped

· Handful sesame or other seeds

· 1 tablespoon cinnamon

· 1 cup agave nectar

· 1 cup canola oil

· 2 cups apple, orange juice or rice milk (use the juicer!)

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Here's how we did it:

1. Measure 14 cups of rolled oats into a large mixing bowl.

2. Grind remaining 2 cups of oats in the flourmill. Mix into rolled oats.

3. Mix in nuts, seeds and cinnamon.

4. Combine liquid ingredients in a large measuring cup. Pour into dry mixture and use your hands to evenly coat oats, nuts, and seeds.

5. Spread granola mixture onto two large baking sheets.

6. Place in the sun oven all day. If the granola isn't crunchy enough, pop it in the oven at 350ºF for a few minutes.