Our kitchen is the place to be right now. New and old favorites turn from handwritten recipes into anticipated gatherings at the table. Eggplant Rollatini, Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwiches with Vanilla Frosting, and Grilled Seitan and Cheese Panini are among the big hitters.
There have been a few flops too, mostly fermented foods: the homemade sauerkraut overly adorned with caraway seeds and the not quite balanced kimchi. None of these can disrupt the sweet crunchy allure of Sunny Every Day Granola.
A staple in our pantry, this granola never fails to disappear right from the baking sheets. Dressed with yogurt, almond milk, or apple sauce—it’s a hearty breakfast, quick snack, or dinner stand-in. We’ve tossed a handful or two into all manner of baked goods like cookies, granola bars, and tea breads.
Mostly, we eat nibble on it throughout the day, dipping a spoon into the jar as we casually pass through the kitchen. A nice antidote to the February chill.
Sunny Every Day Granola
makes about 12 cupsDry ingredients:
5 cups rolled oats
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw pecan halves
1 cup raw walnuts
1 cup hulled raw sunflower seeds
1 cup raw pepita seeds
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon sea saltWet ingredients:
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
3/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/4 cup pure maple syrupPreheat oven to 300 F. Set aside two rimmed baking sheets.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and stir well.
In a small saucepan melt the coconut oil. Remove from heat; whisk in the apple sauce and maple syrup.
Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ones and stir until everything is evenly coated.
Divide the mixture between two baking sheets and spread into an even layer. Bake until granola is dry and golden (35 to 40 minutes), stirring granola every 10 minutes so that it toasts evenly. Remove from oven; stir the granola well. Allow to cool completely. Store in airtight jars or containers.
(This recipe is inspired by Molly Wizenberg’s take on Nigella Lawson’s “Daily Granola”).
Delicious and so healthy! Homemade granola is the best.
Cheers,
Rosa
Rosa, I agree, homemade granola is the best!
A lovely little treat to have on hand – I can imagine it’s very hard to stop eating!
Kathryn, Yes, it is! Lately, I like it stirred in with homemade applesauce.
As I was reading this post I thought about how much I love homemade granola (and lamented all the sugar). How nice to see your recipe looks delicious and a bit more healthful with the apple sauce and maple syrup. I must add it to my repertoire. Directr is fun, isn’t it?
la domestique, You can also cut back the sugar with this recipe which I have done before. Although this recipe isn’t super sweet there is 1 cup of sweetener (light brown + maple syrup) per 12 cups of granola. Yes, Directr is a fun and quick app.
I’m really into granola at the moment – it’s perfect for packing with a little yoghurt and fresh fruit to eat after I’ve been to the gym in the morning. I want to try this apple sauce version – sounds lovely.
thelittleloaf, I go through my phases and am currently in the eating lots of granola one. It does make a great on-the-go/post-workout/parfait style snack.
Yum! I have been eating more and more granola and love the idea of making my own. Is it possible to use another oil besides coconut? (And, did you see the article on granola in today’s NYT dining section?)
Ann, Once you start making it, it’s difficult to buy granola. It’s so easy to make and cater to your tastes. Yes, you can replace the coconut oil with canola or safflower oil or melted butter too (always delicious). I missed the NYT’s granola article (thanks for the tip). Off to find it.
I just made this and it’s so good! I am a nut lover and this recipe satisfies my nut cravings. It was my first time making granola I don’t think I’ll ever buy it again. Thank you for posting! Beautiful images too.