Granola

A few days ago, my friend E.R.V.B posted the recipe for her favorite granola on Facebook. She got the recipe from a friend who found it in some cookbook or other. I figured only good recipes make the rounds like that and if E.'s sense of taste is even half as good as her sense of style, this granola had to be worth making. Also, my favorite local organic granola is over nine dollars a pound and, if I calculated correctly, the ingredients for my organic granola came in at just a little over three bucks a pound.

I made my first batch of E.'s granola today, with only a few minor modifications. I followed her lead and used maple syrup instead of honey, but chose to use coconut oil instead of canola and to omit the brown sugar altogether. I also added half a cup of unsweetened shredded coconut. The recipe leaves the choice of nuts, seeds, and fruit up to the cook. I used almonds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds, raisins, and unsulphured dried apricots cut into pieces. I like this combo, but for variety's sake I'll probably change it up in the next batch--add some cashews maybe, or perhaps some dried blueberries.

Granola

From a friend of a friend

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups nuts and/or seeds of choice
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup dried fruit of choice

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients, except the fruit, and set aside. In another bowl combine oil, syrup, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until the oats etc. are evenly and well coated. Turn mixture out onto baking sheet(s), making a not-too-thick even layer.
• Bake 30 minutes, stirring two to three times during the cooking time, and adding the dried fruit half way through. Remove from oven when browned to your taste. Allow to cool thoroughly (you can stir it from time to time to encourage cooling) before storing in an airtight container.

Makes enough to fill a half gallon Ball jar.

E. is right: this granola is delicious. Delicious, easy, and cost effective...it doesn't get better than that.