Gran-OH-la

Why "OH"? Because, oh, when you taste this you'll thank yourself for making it. Or maybe because your friends will, oh so profusely, thank you for the gift of granola and beg you for the recipe.



Beg no more my friends, you're in for a treat!

Granola

8 C. rolled oats
1 1/2 C. wheat germ
1 1/2 C. oat bran
1 C. chopped almonds
1 C. chopped pecans
1 C. chopped walnuts
1 1/2 t. salt
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. maple syrup
3/4 C. honey
1/2 C. vegetable oil
1/2 C. unsweetened apple sauce
1 T. ground cinnamon
1 T. vanilla extract
2 C. dried fruit of your choice (I like a mix of raisins, cranberries, and cherries)

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil.

2. In a big ol' honkin' bowl combine the first 6 ingredients. Next, in a saucepan, stir together the remaining ingredients, only omitting the dried fruit. Bring to a boil over medium high heat then pour evenly over the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir thoroughly so as to coat evenly. Spread the mixture equally between the two baking sheets.

3. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring at the ten minute mark. After the granola is cool, stir in the dried fruit and store in Ziplocs or an airtight container.

Really? This granola is so, so good! I like it as a snack (dry), in yogurt with fresh berries added (think parfait), in a bowl with milk and fresh banana, or even stirred into pancake batter to make granola pancakes. The possibilities are endless! And this travels well. My granola has now seen Costa Rica!

And can I share with you my favorite little secret about this here granola? It has all the taste of a full fat granola with half the fat! That's right, among the modifications I've made over the years, it's been to cut the oil amount in half. That applesauce? It's a fat replacer and you'll never miss the real thing.

So go enjoy yourself some granola, just remember to thank me later!