Looking down at my breakfast bowl on Sunday morning was a true Sangha experience. I saw...
- a perfect plum that a neighbor donated from her tree
- fresh wild blackberries thoughtfully picked and shared from the Monastery creek
- a peach bought from our neighborhood grocer, with whom we are on a first-name basis
- crunchy granola made by residents practicing compassionate awareness
- yogurt purchased by the monthly donations of so many
- Irish Soda Bread that had been toasted by the power from solar panels generously donated to the Monastery.
That cool morning, eating breakfast felt like being wrapped in love from all directions. There is no self and other, as pure, undisturbed consciousness slips into all consciousness.
Gassho,
Rebecca
It's been a long time since we've shared this recipe. Monastery Granola is one of our favorite and most requested recipes. This is a gluten-free version. May you feel wrapped in love as you prepare and enjoy it!
Monastery Granola
12 cups rolled oats After Cooking:
3/4 cup oat bran 1/2 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup sesame seeds 3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
3/4 cup chopped almonds
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 Tbs. vanilla
1/2 cup water
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Measure out all of the dry ingredients and mix them together.
3. Measure the wet ingredients into a small pot and heat it over a low flame until the brown sugar dissolves (it does not need to boil for this to happen). Stir often with a wooden spoon to prevent burning.
4. When the sugar dissolves, pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir together. It is important that the mixing happens right away to ensure that the liquid is evenly absorbed, and it is also good to stir from the bottom of the bowl so that everything is incorporated. Stir until well combined.
5. Spray two 9x13-inch “lasagna” pans with nonstick spray. Divide the mixture between them.
6. Place the pans side-by-side in the pre-heated oven, and allow the granola to bake for 15 minutes. At the end of that time, remove one of the pans from the oven and stir it using a metal spatula. The granola will tend to brown more quickly (and eventually burn) where it is touching the metal pan, so the trick is to run the spatula along all of the surfaces and stir the browning oats into the rest of the granola. Return this pan to the oven and repeat this procedure with the other one. Open the oven door seldom during this process so that the temperature will remain constant and the granola will cook more evenly.
7. Bake for 10 more minutes and then stir again as before.
8. Bake once more for 10 minutes. Most likely the granola will be done at this time. Check to see that it has evenly turned a light brown color all the way through. If it appears as if some oats have not completely cooked (they would be pale in color next to the brown), then stir once more and bake for 5 more minutes. It’s also good to check during this last 10-minute period in case the granola has gotten done early. The total cooking time will be 35-40 minutes.
9. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before adding the flax seeds and raisins.
10. Sprinkle the flax seeds and raisins on top, and stir them in just enough to combine. The granola will stiffen and become brittle as it cools and will break up into little bits if it is stirred too much.
The recipe makes about 16 cups.