Granola with a Dash of Spice

Homemade granola is more than just a breakfast cereal, so let’s get creative and think outside the cereal box. Whipping up a batch of Spiced Maple Nut Granola will fill your home with a warm, spiced scent and your belly with a nutritious snack.

This recipe makes a slightly sweet and low-fat granola which can be prepared gluten-free (using gluten-free oats) or vegan (substitute honey with brown sugar and butter with coconut oil). Plus, you can get a batch into the oven in less than 10 minutes.

Spiced Maple Nut Granola

Yields 6 cups 

Ingredients

• • 3 cups rolled oats

• • 1 cup pecan halves

• • 1 cup walnut pieces or cashew halves

• • 1/2 cup maple syrup

• • 6 Tbsp apple, peach or pumpkin butter, or applesauce

• • 3 Tbsp coconut oil or butter, melted

• • 2 Tbsp honey

• • 2 tsp vanilla extract

• • 1 tsp almond extract (optional)

• • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

• • 1 tsp ground ginger

• • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

• • 1/2 tsp salt

• • 1/8 tsp ground cloves

• • 1 cup coconut flakes (sweetened or unsweetened)

• • 1 cup dried fruit

Instructions

1. 1. Combine the rolled oats and nuts in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

1. 1. Combine the maple syrup, fruit butter, oil, honey, vanilla, almond extract, spices and salt in a small bowl; mix until smooth. Add the maple syrup mixture to the rolled oats. Stir until the dry ingredients are evenly coated.

1. 1. Spread the granola on a 13 x 18-inch sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

1. 1. Bake in a preheated 250ºF oven for 45 minutes, stirring after 20 minutes. At 45 minutes, add the coconut flakes and dried fruit. Bake for an additional 15 minutes.

1. 1. Remove from the oven and cool completely before storing in a tightly sealed jar.

Tips

1. 1. Do not bake the granola until it is crunchy; it becomes crunchy as it cools.

1. 1. Try a blend of raw nuts; pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds — all work well. Don’t stop with nuts; try adding chia seeds or hemp hearts, too. Apple schnitz would be great in this granola, but use whatever dried fruit is on hand.

Recipe & Photo by Phoebe Canakis, phoebespurefood.com