Granola
Very flexible recipe – but the sugar amounts, salt amount, and spices are what make it. The olive oil gives a great savory flavor to it.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Granola bits*
- 3 c old fashioned oats
- 1 c roughly chopped almonds
- 1/2 c sunflower seeds
- 1/2 c pumpkin seeds / pepitas
- 1/4 c sesame seeds (un-toasted)
- 1 c shaved coconut chips
- 2 T chia seeds
Coating
- 1/2 c olive oil
- 2 T butter
- 1/2 c packed brown sugar
- 2 T honey
- 1 t cinnamon
- 1/2 t ground ginger
- 1/2 t ground cardamom
- 1/4 t ground nutmeg
- 1 t vanilla
- 1 t salt (2 t coarse salt)
- 2 egg whites
Post-Baking Mix-ins
- 3/4 c apricots, roughly chopped
- 1/2 c raisins
- 1/2 c dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 150°C / 300° F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, nuts, seeds, and coconut chips. Stir to blend.
- In a small saucepan, warm the oil, butter, sugar and honey until melted. Add the spices and whisk well to combine.
- Pour in the oil mixture onto the oat mixture. Mix well, until every oat and nut is lightly coated.
- Whisk the two egg whites until frothy. Pour over granola and mix well.
- Pour the granola onto your prepared pan and use a large spoon to spread it in an even layer.
- Sprinkle a bit of salt over all the granola.
- Bake the granola in the oven, check it every 15 minutes and give it a stir, rotating the baking sheet until the granola is evenly golden brown. It’ll take about 40 to 50 minutes.
- For extra-clumpy granola, press the stirred granola down with your spatula to create a more even layer. The granola will further crisp up as it cools.
- Let the granola cool completely, undisturbed (at least 45 minutes). Top with the dried fruit (and optional chocolate chips, if using). Break the granola into pieces with your hands if you want to retain big chunks, or stir it around with a spoon if you don’t want extra-clumpy granola.
Notes
*Use whatever you have on hand. Add other seeds, leave some out. Add other nuts, leave almonds out. Swap olive oil for coconut oil or all butter. Use maple syrup in place of brown sugar or honey.
*2nd time making it: Aim: More clumps. 1/2 c ground flaxseed mixed with water. Let sit to make a gel like consistency. Pour over & mix before the sweetener. After sweetener, pour whipped egg whites over. Bake at 140°c, 35-45 minutes. Do not stir.