Les Blank's Granola
November 2009
 
After a version by Frances Moore Lapee in "Diet For A Small Planet"

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In large baking pan, Dutch oven, toast until nicely browned:
3. 2 cups organic wheat or rye or other, flakes, or a mix.
4. Shake and stir every few minutes. Careful to not let edges burn.
5. When golden brown, in about 45-55 min. add 2 cups wheat germ, 2 cups ground flax seeds, 2 cups bee pollen, 1/3 cup instant dried milk, 3 or more Tablespoons nutritional yeast, 1/2 to 2 cups coconut shreds, 1 cup oat, and/ or wheat bran.
6. Stir 3 or more Tablespoons vanilla into 1/2 cup vegetable oil, add to 1/2 to 1 cup honey and stir into the rest. Add 1/2 to 1 cup, each, of slightly roasted walnuts, pecans, hazel nuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pepitas. (Lately, I found toasted, sliced almonds particullarly interesting. Store in fridge. Eat with yogurt, fruit. Yum.
7. Source for bee pollen and most other ingredients: Jaffe Bros (Best deal is for 10 pounds.) 760-749-1133;
8. Vanilla extract: slit 8 vanilla beans length-wise, add to a 1/5 of vodka or rum. Shake gently every 2-3 days for 6 weeks.

Note: this is a particularly hearty granola, and it's best served in small quantity but loaded up with lots and lots of stuff. Les recommends: yogurt, persimmons, pomegranate, apple, banana, figs, guava and kiwi (you absolutely must serve them with skins ON...this is really critical if you really want granola Les Blank style....and they're good that way! Anyone refusing to eat the skins is undeserving of this granola!).