Three year old Zane recently declared my homemade granola, "Better than M&Ms". I couldn't be happier about Zane's new favorite snack. Granola chock full of dried fruit and nuts and baked with olive oil and honey is pretty tasty stuff not to mention healthy. Zane likes to snack on his granola dry. I prefer mine with non-fat plain yogurt, fresh fruit and drizzled with honey. Below is my simple granola recipe. Enjoy.
Granola Recipe:
Dry Ingredients:
4 cups of thick cut oats
1/2 cup of dried nuts chopped- walnuts and/or almonds
1/3 cup of dried fruit chopped - cherries, cranberries, apricots or raisins
pinch of salt
Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Wet Ingredients:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup honey
Grated zest of one orange
Combine all wet ingredients in a small in a bowl, stir to mix.
Combine wet ingredients into bowl of dry ingredients. Mix with hands or wooden spoon.
Spread granola mixture evenly onto a large metal baking sheet with sides.
Bake at 350º for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Transfer to an air tight container for storage.
NOTES: Granola is a very forgiving recipe and experimenting with dried nuts and fruits is recommended as is oil. I've been using extra virgin olive oil for the richer flavor and the way it complements tarter dried fruit such as cherries. Canola and vegetable oils are the traditional oils used in granola and worth experimenting with as well. I've also experimented with agave as a substitute for honey.
