Granola Fit for My Scouts

My son's Boy Scout troop has started preparing for a hiking trip to the Grand Canyon next fall, with my husband helping lead the way. They want to make sure all of the boys that want to make the trip are physically prepared so they are taking lots of training hikes. In addition, since my husband just loves to hike, he's also taken Addison and Brennan on several other outings.

In order to find affordable trail food that was both safe for my peanut-allergic son and acceptable to my picky-eaters, I've started making our own granola. After several experiments, we've settled on a basic recipe that seems just about perfect.

          Granola Fit for My Scouts

3 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp honey
1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/4-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup apple juice (or whatever juice is in the fridge)
2 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 6 Tbsp water


Mix the first eight ingredients (oats through juice) in a large bowl. Mix flax seed and water in a small bowl and pour over other ingredients. Mix together well and spread on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour. Remove from oven and use a spatula to break into appropriate sized chunks. Let cool and then store in a ziploc bag.

Note: the flax seed mixture holds the granola together in small clumps that are easier to grab while hiking. If you don't have flax seed, you can use two lightly beaten eggs instead.

This basic granola recipe makes the main part of the trail mix. We add in the extras after it is cooked. The most recent combination was granola, craisins, sunflower seeds, dried pineapple pieces, and chocolate chunks.




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