While in search of the perfect granola recipe for us, I discovered Sarah's blog through Liesl's 3 Question series.
Yesterday I tried her recipe for Maple Cinnamon Granola with only slight hesitation at the inclusion of cinnamon. I've been looking for a healthy, tasty granola to pair nicely with my homemade yogurt & a drizzle of honey (my favorite snack ever!) and the idea of cinnamon just didn't seem to fit the bill - at least in my mind. I've always thought of cinnamon as more a holiday flavor and pairing with sugar & sweets. But I decided to try it anyway since my last two batches have been quite dull in flavor. I also omitted the water she called for and added an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract instead. :)
So far the flavor is smokey & delicious (I licked the spoon after pouring it into the baking sheet) and the sweet maple aroma is just starting to waft from the oven. I'm so excited to try this latest batch with my yogurt. The only downside is I'm almost out of dried cherries!
Recipe:
5 cups rolled thick oats
2 Tbs whole flax seed
2 Tbs wheat bran
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup unsalted almonds (I would have added a whole cup but this is all I had today)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup applesauce, homemade so it has a few chunks in it
3 tsp vanilla extract
Mix oats, flax, wheat bran, cinnamon, salt & almonds together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix syrup, applesauce and vanilla together. Pour wet over dry ingredients, being sure the oats are fully coated. Pour onto a greased baking sheet in an even layer. Bake at 325*F for about 30 minutes (until oats are golden brown & no longer wet), stirring about every 10 minutes.
While cooling, add in 1 1/2 cups unsalted peanuts and 1 cup dried cherries. Stir occasionally while cooling. Store in an airtight container.
Yesterday I tried her recipe for Maple Cinnamon Granola with only slight hesitation at the inclusion of cinnamon. I've been looking for a healthy, tasty granola to pair nicely with my homemade yogurt & a drizzle of honey (my favorite snack ever!) and the idea of cinnamon just didn't seem to fit the bill - at least in my mind. I've always thought of cinnamon as more a holiday flavor and pairing with sugar & sweets. But I decided to try it anyway since my last two batches have been quite dull in flavor. I also omitted the water she called for and added an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract instead. :)
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| Fresh out of the oven & cooling. |
Recipe:
5 cups rolled thick oats
2 Tbs whole flax seed
2 Tbs wheat bran
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup unsalted almonds (I would have added a whole cup but this is all I had today)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup applesauce, homemade so it has a few chunks in it
3 tsp vanilla extract
Mix oats, flax, wheat bran, cinnamon, salt & almonds together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix syrup, applesauce and vanilla together. Pour wet over dry ingredients, being sure the oats are fully coated. Pour onto a greased baking sheet in an even layer. Bake at 325*F for about 30 minutes (until oats are golden brown & no longer wet), stirring about every 10 minutes.
While cooling, add in 1 1/2 cups unsalted peanuts and 1 cup dried cherries. Stir occasionally while cooling. Store in an airtight container.