Foodie Friday: Fruit and Nut Granola

March 11, 2011 , Linz , Leave a comment

As a breakfast lover (or “lovahhh”), the idea of making homemade granola is so perfect for me that I can’t believe it took me so long to try it out. Now that I have, it might turn into a lifelong practice. I’m a bit addicted to the stuff.

To guide me through my first attempt, I turned to Gourmande in the Kitchen’s beautiful “deconstruction”. I made a few small adjustments, which are documented in the steps below. This batch turned out as a perfect blend of crunchy, chewy, salty and sweet. It’s incredibly filling and makes a great breakfast or snack. Or dessert. We’ve been enjoying it on yogurt, in milk, or by the occasional handful.

~Linz

Fruit and Nut Granola
(adapted from Gourmande in the Kitchen’s granola recipe)

Dry Ingredients

2 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 ½ cups quick-cooking oats
2 cups puffed rice cereal
3 tablespoons coconut flakes
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp sea salt

Wet Ingredients

3/4 cup fruit puree (I used applesauce)
1/2 cup honey
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract

Crunchies

2 cups nuts (I used almonds)
1 cup raw seeds (I used green pumpkin seeds)

Chewies

2 cups dried fruit (I used a mix of cranberries, cherries, blueberries and raisins)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Stir together the wet ingredients. Pour wet mixture over the dry mixture and stir (or use your hands) to incorporate them completely.

Measure out your nuts and seeds mix. Measure out your dried fruit.

Divide the moistened oats mixture between the two baking sheets. Use your hands to gently squeeze together the oats into clumps to get a good final mix textures. Make sure the mix has some breathing room on the sheet as it bakes; I actually had to use a third pan to ensure each pan wasn’t too crowded.
Bake for 20 minutes, then use a spatula to flip and mix the granola around. Add nuts and seeds and return pans to the oven, rotating them. Check after 20 minutes and continue to bake until mix turns golden-brown.