Phebe's Keep-You-Full-Till Lunch Slow Cooker Granola

 This granola recipe is adapted from Fresh From the Vegetarian Slowcooker by Robin Robertson. If you don't have a slow cooker, you can do this in an oven, too. If you're a fan of raw food, this tastes good even before it's toasted, so I think it'd be fine to have a raw version. This granola is protein packed and very filling. We usually eat it with soy yogurt and fresh or (defrosted) frozen fruit.

This makes two batches worth. I generally put half in the slow cooker right away and half in the freezer to be cooked later.

Mix in a gigantic bowl in the following order:

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick oats)
2 cups kamut flakes
1 cup whole raw almonds with skins
1 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup hemp hearts (hulled hemp seeds)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup canola or coconut oil (or a mix)

1/3 cup honey, brown rice syrup or agave
1/3 cup maple syrup

Grease your slow cooker with margarine or oil. Put about half of the granola in the slow cooker. Cook on low (do not put it on high, as Robin Robertson suggests. It will burn) for about 4 hours, stirring about every 1/2 hour to hour. It will need to be stirred more frequently as it gets drier. You will know when it is done because it will be dry and slightly golden brown. If you don't stir it, it will burn, but usually only in localized spots, so it can be saved.

When the granola is done, spread it out on a baking sheet placed on top of a cooling rack to dry. Once it is dry, put into an air tight jar. I use my blender jug, with the blade removed from the bottom, as a "funnel" to get the granola from the sheet into the jar. Eat within 2 weeks, or, to prolong shelf life, refrigerate granola.

You can also put dried fruit in this (the picture here has dried blueberries, cause it was a gift for my dad) but I found that if you put the fruit in the slowcooker it gets too dry and hard. I almost broke my teeth on a piece of date in one early batch. I'd recommend adding dried fruit at the end after everything is cooked, or putting it in individual servings to taste (especially since I find many people don't like certain dried fruits). You can also add in or take out various nuts, seeds or grains, and play with the proportions to your tastes and nutritional needs.