Comfort Food: Granola

I felt a strong determination the other day to make something. I pulled out my sketchbook, my box of fabric, my folder of inspiration (yes, I have a file folder called "Design Inspiration/Make it"), and the Lotta Jansdotter book I have from the library. Maybe I was tired from the day, or being a human incubator, but I couldn't focus on anything. Everything seemed just over my head. I ended up staying up way too late watching the Olympics instead. It was not encouraging.
Craft projects, sewing, drawing and I do not have long relationships. Sometimes it's easier to defer to my artistically inclined (and experienced) husband. I'm trying to get away from that habit, though--at least a little bit.
Yesterday, I knew I had to make something to try to step out of the rut. And we had to eat food. I strapped on my apron and made a slightly improvised honey chicken stir-fry. Improvised in that I didn't measure anything--I just tasted as I went. It came out pretty good considering the key ingredients I was missing to make it great.
Next I tried my hand at this granola recipe. I have been trying different granola recipes lately, trying to find the perfect formula. I'm really seeking a gluten-free version that can become a standby for our pantry. You can guess which ingredients are not gluten-free in the aforementioned recipe--wheat flour, wheat germ, even most oats--but I think we successfully adapted it. It felt really good to create something--especially when I saw the look on Brad's face as he enjoyed a bowl of granola warm from the oven.
I had a good laugh with Brad about my creative rut the night before and what I turned to to get out of my rut. Food. I am much more comfortable with my apron and the oven than I am with craft paint or scrapbook paper. At least for now.
Here is the recipe I made last night, in all its granola glory. It was wonderful still warm with milk on it last night. It was still wonderful this morning over Stoneyfield farm French Vanilla yogurt. Any way you eat it, I hope it brings comfort to you.

Gluten-free Granola
2-1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats (We love Bob's Red Mill)
1/3 cup sorghum flour
1/3 cup flaxseed meal
1/3-1/2 cup unsweeted coconut (I used large flake coconut from a local Health food store)
1/3-1/2 cup chopped almonds

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix together:

1 Tablespoon vanilla
1/8 cup water
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup (or less*) vegetable/canola oil

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well.
Spread in a shallow pan (this amount filled one jelly roll) and bake at 250, stirring gently every 15 minutes. Bake until deep golden brown and almost dry. This might take about 2 hours. Remove from the oven, cool, and store in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
*I used less oil, which might be part of the reason our granola was done in about an hour. Be sure you are checking on it often.