Pantry Granola (No Food Waste)

Written By Aimee Glass

The only recipe you need for using up the bits and pieces in your pantry.

Ingredients/Formula:

This is the PERFECT way to reduce your food waste and use up random things that would otherwise be thrown away. There is also no exact science so throw it all together and be creative!

4 cups dry ingredients
Choose whatever you have:

  • Rolled oats

  • Nuts — almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews

  • Seeds — pepitas, sunflower, sesame, chia, flax

  • Coconut

  • Puffed grains

  • Buckwheat

  • Leftover cereal or muesli

  • Stale bread, pita, wraps

  • Salted Crisps - Potato Chips, Sweet potato chips, corn chips, pretzels, crispy chickpeas (unflavoured - salt only)

  • Rice cakes, corn thins, popcorn, crackers (unflavoured - salt only)

  • Random - Ice-cream cones, rice cakes, cookies, cakes, biscuits

  • Dried Fruit - Sultanas, Cranberries, Goji berries, Raisins, banana, mango

⅓–½ cup sticky ingredient

  • Honey

  • Maple syrup

  • Or a combination

¼ cup fat

  • Melted coconut oil

  • Butter

  • Or a combination

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced and line a large baking tray with baking paper.

  2. Add your pantry ingredients to a large bowl. Use whatever combination of oats, nuts, seeds, coconut, puffed grains or other bits and pieces you have to make around 4 cups in total. Roughly chop any larger nuts. Dont add the dried fruit at this stage.

  3. In a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, gently melt together your honey or maple syrup and coconut oil or butter. Add a pinch of salt (if not using any salty chips or crackers) and any flavourings you like, such as cinnamon or vanilla.

  4. Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and stir well until everything is evenly coated.

  5. Spread the mixture evenly across the prepared baking tray.

  6. Bake for 20–30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until golden and fragrant. Keep an eye on it towards the end, as smaller pieces and coconut can brown quickly.

  7. Remove from the oven and leave the granola to cool completely on the tray. Try not to stir it too much while cooling — this helps it become nice and crunchy.

  8. Once completely cool, stir through any extras you don't want to bake, such as dried fruit or chopped chocolate.

  9. Store in an airtight container and enjoy throughout the week on yoghurt, with milk, or sprinkled over your favourite breakfast bowls.

Aimee Glass
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