(from Joy the Baker)
It all starts with oats, ground cinnamon, a big pinch of salt, and unsweetened shredded coconut.
I am addicted to this big flake coconut that I often find at Whole Foods.
Granola needs a lubricant. In this case we’re working with olive oil, maple syrup, honey, and pure vanilla extract.
Let the good times roll. …that was a joke about oats.
This is the part where things get selfish. The best part of making your own granola is choosing exactly what makes you happy in it.
I love plump dried apricots, goji berries, toasted pecans, and big flaked coconut.
The toss. It’s easy!
So this weird thing happened in my house. It’s about me and my mixing bowl situation… namely that I don’t really have one. My largest mixing bowl is actually my big ol’ soup pot.
This granola recipe is inspired by Captain Annie’s cookbook Sugar & Salt. It’s just one of many totally comforting recipes. Plus, there’s all kinds of information about schooner living, which I’m now totally smitten with.
Warm and toasted. Suited and booted.
I adapted the granola just a bit by adding maple syrup and dried fruit. It tastes of comfort and love and is most fitting to gift by the jarful.
Maple Pecan Granola
makes about 12 cups
adapted from Sugar and Salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
8 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 heaping cup coarsely chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup gogi berries
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, toss together coconut, pecans, rolled oats, cinnamon, and salt.
In a medium suacepan over low heat, stir together the oil, maple syrup, and honey. Stir until melted together. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract. Stir together.
Add the wet ingredients, all at once, to the rolled oat mixture. Toss to coat, insuring that all of the dry ingredients are coated in the maple syrup mixture. Divide the mixture between the two prepared baking pans. Spread into an even layer.
Bake granola for 45 minutes to 1 hour, removing the pans from the oven twice during baking to toss and stir. Once mixture is evenly browned and toasted, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Add dried fruit and stire granola in an airtight container at room temperature.
Granola will last for several weeks.
