Backcountry Granola Recipe

A Backcountry Granola Recipe You Can’t Resist

This granola is a great meal that you can make for breakfast and eat hot or put together ahead of time for a high-energy snack later. You can customize it in a variety of different ways, which is perfect if you have picky eaters or dietary needs to consider.

Simple and delicious, what more could you want?

Ingredients

• 5 Tbs. butter or butter substitute
• 3 cups uncooked oatmeal flakes
• ⅓ to ½ cup brown sugar or honey (depending on sweetness of fruit)
• ½ tsp. salt (if nuts used are unsalted)
• 1 cup dried fruit
• 1 cup nuts and seeds

Directions

1. Chop fruit and put into a bowl. Add water until fruit is covered.
2. Melt butter in a frying pan (or fry-bake).
3. Add uncooked oatmeal and salt, stirring to coat with butter.
4. Sprinkle brown sugar over the oatmeal.
5. Drain water from the fruit, then add fruit and nuts to the frying pan.
6. Keep stirring until oatmeal is fried to a golden brown.
7. Eat hot as is, pour milk over it, or let it cool and eat in chunks for breakfast or as trail food.

Variations

• If there are blueberries, raspberries, or other fruits in season where you are, add some on top!
• Add ½ cup of honey mixed with 2 Tbs. peanut butter for extra calories and yum-factor.
• A NOLS instructor favorite is to heat the butter, sugar, and honey, plus cinnamon and vanilla, in a frying pan. Then add the oatmeal, dried fruit, coconut, and nuts. Fry the whole mix and enjoy.
• Note: This granola doesn’t keep well in hot weather, so if you are in a hot environment, stick with the breakfast version rather than trying to make it last all day.