The Haven’s Famous Granola: Recipe & Holiday Fundraiser
I recently went home to Saskatchewan to visit my father. When I arrived, I realized I had forgotten the most important piece of luggage… a suitcase full of Haven granola! My family absolutely loves this granola so, to be honest, I am never sure if they are more excited to see me or my suitcase full of granola…
They first experienced our granola while attending a Come Alive program here at The Haven, where I work as a registrar. My family enjoyed their time at The Haven so much that they brought loads of our staple comfort granola home with them, where its popularity continued to spread.
At the arrivals gate, my dad did his best not to let on any disappointment and luckily my boyfriend, who was joining us a few days later, was able to save the day. He crammed six bags of Haven granola into his carry-on. He didn’t fail to comment: “Wow, this stuff is heavy!”
It’s true. The Haven’s granola is not light or lacking. It’s dense and flavourful and complex. It has a tantalizing aroma, taste and texture, and it’s incredibly healthy to boot. Come to think of it, the recipe for our granola is similar that of our Come Alive program — filled to the brim with nourishing ingredients for the body, mind and spirit.
Just like Come Alive, this granola has been with The Haven since our inception 35 years ago. The recipe has been lovingly passed between many talented cooks, and is now with Roberta, our in-house baker.
Today, Roberta is extra busy infusing her Haven magic into our special holiday granola – a fundraiser for Financial Aid. Packaged in a festive bag, it makes the perfect stocking stuffer, host gift, or treat to share with your neighbours or co-workers – take my family’s word for it! We can ship anywhere within Canada and can even offer tax receipts and special deals when you buy in bulk.
The Haven’s Famous Granola Recipe
Makes approx. 12 cups.
Cooking time: approx. 90 minutes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
6 cups whole rolled oats
1 cup cashews
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup coconut
1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup oil
1 cup honey
½ cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon maple extract
1 heavy sprinkle Haven magic, to taste
Method:
1. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients (oats, cashews, almonds, coconut, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and cinnamon)
2. Next, add the wet ingredients (oil, honey, water, vanilla, and maple extract). Tip #1: Fill a measuring cup with oil, then add the honey. This will prevent the honey from sticking to the sides of the measuring cup. Tip #2: Add the vanilla and maple extract to the water before pouring into the larger bowl of ingredients.
3. Thoroughly mix the wet with the dry – we’ve found hands work best!
4. Once mixed, spread the granola mixture out on two or three baking pans and bake at 300⁰F for 45 minutes.
5. Flip the granola over and bake another 45 minutes or until golden. Tip #3: you’ll get an irresistible whiff when your granola’s ready to come out of the oven. Keep an eye and your nose out!
6. Let cool completely and store in an airtight container.
Leslie Sanderson had a professional career in geomatics and remote sensing when she first encountered The Haven in 2014. She considers her first program, Come Alive, to have been a life-changing experience and remains passionate about connecting people with Haven programs as a Registrar. Today, she’s enrolled in The Haven Diploma Program and is pursuing further education in counseling. Leslie considers herself to be something of a granola connoisseur and maintains that The Haven’s recipe is the best around!
