Christianne's Granola Recipe

Please welcome Christianne to the blog. She is a regular attender at our mops meetings and wanted to share this recipe with you:

Philosophically I’m a farmer’s market; financially I’m a big box store.  Maybe that’s why I love granola.  It’s wholesome and healthy, but doesn’t cost a lot to make.  Fiber in oats, the main ingredient in granola, provides a wide range of health benefits including stabilization of blood sugar, healthy digestive function, and a reduction of blood pressure. It has also been suggested that for nursing moms, oats can increase breast-milk supply. 

Granola:

3 cups quick oats

¾-1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp salt

2 Tbsp packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp butter, melted

½ cup syrup (maple or agave) or honey

1 cup dried fruit (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.  Mix dry ingredients (first 6) in a large bowl.  Melt butter and warm syrup in saucepan.  Pour mixture over dry ingredients and mix well.  Spread on greased baking sheet.  Bake 35-45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so.  Allow to cool completely.  When cool, add fruit of choice.  Store in airtight container or Ziploc bag.   

Fruit/nut ideas:

- Craving a taste of the tropics?  Add toasted coconut and dried pineapple or banana chips to cooled macadamia nut granola.
-Chopped walnuts, dried apples, pears, and craisins.
-Slivered almonds with a medley of dried berries.

Let your imagination run wild as you create endless flavor combinations! I especially enjoy my granola made into a parfait with yogurt and fresh fruit.  

-Christianne