Winter Spice Granola

Winter Spice Granola

Granola has a reputation of being healthy and virtuous, which is actually a little undeserved because most are loaded with added fats and sugar. This recipe, adapted from Nigella Lawson via a slew of food bloggers, replaces the oil with applesauce and removes the original brown sugar and brown rice syrup for a touch of maple syrup. Despite all the changes, this granola still packs a calorie punch because of all the nuts and seeds - even though they are all heart-healthy fats, the calories still add up!

What's great about this recipe (and all granolas, really) is you can adapt it to your taste - try different types and ratios of the nuts and seeds, use a different fruit purée instead of applesauce, or add in your favourite spices. The possibilities are endless! Make a double or triple batch and package them in mason jars for your family and friends - don't forget to include a recipe!


Ingredients (Makes 12 cups)

  • 5 cups (1.25 L) rolled oats
  • 1 cup (250 mL) almonds
  • 1 cup (250 mL) pecans
  • 1 cup (250 mL) pumpkin seeds, hulled, raw
  • 1 cup (250 mL) sunflower seeds, hulled, raw
  • ¾ cup (185 mL) sesame seeds
  • 2 tsp (10 mL) ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) ground ginger
  • ½ tsp (2 mL) nutmeg
  • ½ tsp (2 mL) cloves
  • ¾ cup (185 mL) unsweetened applesauce
  • ½ cup (125 mL) maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil
  • 70 g apple chips, crushed
  • 1 cup (250 mL) dried cranberries

Method

  1. Set racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat to 300°F (150°C).
  2. In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Stir to mix well. In a small bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients. Stir to mix well. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ones, and stir well.
  3. Spread the mixture evenly on two rimmed baking sheets. Place granola in oven and set a timer to go off every ten minutes while the granola bakes, so you can rotate the pans and give the granola a good stir. After stirring the granola, make sure you spread the granola back evenly in pan to prevent burning. Remove granola from oven after 3-4 rotations (30-40 minutes) and stir well to keep it from cooling into a hard, solid sheet.
  4. Scoop cooled granola into a large zipper-lock plastic bag or other airtight container. Mix in apple chips and dried cranberries and store in refrigerator indefinitely

Nutrition Info (per ½ cup)

337 calories, 17 g fat (2 g saturated, 0 g trans), 0 mg cholesterol, 37 g carbohydrate (6 g fibre, 9 g sugar), 11 g protein, 5 mg sodium.

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