Author: Oven Love
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 50 mins
Total time: 1 hour
adapted Chocolate and Carrots (http://chocolateandcarrots.com/2011/01/homemade-granola) and Gourmande in the Kitchen (http://gourmandeinthekitchen.com/?p=953)
- 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 2 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
- 1 1/2 cups puffed rice cereal (wheat works, too)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup natural unsweetened apple sauce (I made my own here by simmering a peeled, chopped apple in an inch of water until soft, draining the apples and then pureeing until smooth)
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar or maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups chopped raw mixed nuts (by "mixed," I just mean a variety. I used a mix of cashews, almonds, pecans and walnuts)
- 1/2 cup flaxseeds (this is a lot of flaxseeds! if you're not used to them, reduce by half or more)
- 2 cups dried fruit (I used a mix of black raisins, golden raisins and dried cranberries)
- Place two oven racks on the top and bottom 1/3 of the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 300°.
- Set aside two baking sheets with sides lined with a silpat liner, parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- In a large bowl, combine both oats, puffed wheat, cinnamon and salt.
- In a separate bowl, combine the apple sauce, honey, brown sugar or maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla extract.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Pour the granola on the baking sheets, splitting evenly between the two baking sheets.
- With your hand, squeeze or pinch the oats together into small/medium clumps leaving space on the baking sheet between the clumps.
- Place the baking sheets in the oven for 20 minutes (one on the top, one on the bottom).
- While that is in the oven, chop your nuts and combine them in a bowl and set aside.
- With a large spatula flip over the granola and add the nuts to the baking sheet.
- Bake for another 20-30 minutes, until completely dry and golden brown. (The dry part is important! You don't want soggy granola- it won't store well or last long.)
- Let the granola cool completely on the baking sheets.
- Once cool, add in the dried fruit.
- Store in airtight containers (I recommend glass, like large mason jars) and enjoy.
Recipe by Oven Love at https://www.ovenloveblog.com/fruit-and-nut-granola-2/
3.1.09