Walnut and Blueberry Granola
We’re new at this you and me.
We don’t even know each others full names yet. You don’t yet know what magazines I subscribe to (Bon Appetit, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Cooks Illustrated and I buy Dwell at the grocery store). You don’t know my newspaper preference (NYTimes & The J Bomb) and though you can probably guess my politics; I haven’t yet made cookies to share my preferences.
Yes, we are still in “new-relationship phase”. Heck, I haven’t even introduced you to my children, or my husband, or my sisters or my dad. I haven’t made you laugh with stories of growing up on a gravel road or learning to drive on a tractor. I haven’t broken your heart with the story of the deaths of my mom and stepmom within 7 days of one another last January. You don’t even know that I moved to New York City in 1999 at 24 and spent my first night at The Plaza where I called my Mom and declared, “Mom! I’m finally somewhere everyone walks as quickly as I do!”
No, these are all things to come – and we don’t want to rush it. Let’s take our time and discover the mutual respect of our relationship, discover new and wonderful things, go on a trip together, share our favorite books, our favorite music, move in together and start sharing a toothbrush. (Kidding. Never doing that.)
For now, let’s take it slowly. Let me earn your trust with something that feels cozy and comfortable and right. How about some the best homemade granola? Not too sweet, not too crunchy. Just perfect.
- 3 cups (270 g) rolled oats (not quick cook oats)
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon (big pinch) cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon (big pinch) ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) honey
- 1/4 cup (60ml) coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla
- 1/2 to 1 (80 to 160 g) cup of dried mixed berries. I prefer dried blueberries and cranberries but you can use whatever floats your boat.
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C
- Combine all wet ingredients and mix well. Set aside.
- Combine all dry ingredients (except berries) in a large bowl and stir well. Then pour them out and spread them evenly over a full cookie sheet / baking tray. Bake for 7 minutes.
- Take the baking sheet out of the oven and turn the heat up to 375°F/190°C. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry stirring and folding as you go with a rubber spatula so that the whole mixture is evenly combined. Return the tray to the oven and bake for another 7 minutes.
- Take they tray with the granola out of the oven and top with the dried berries. Let it cool for 15 minutes, then, using a spatula or wooden spoon, mix up and break up the granola.
- Store it in ball jars for a very sweet "country" look or just in tupperware or ziplocs for up to 4 or 5 days. Serve over yoghurt, ice cream or just eat it plain with fresh fruit and milk.
- You can skip the fruit and substitute 1/2 to 1 cup (75 to 125 g) of nuts and dried coconut instead -- or use both dried fruit and nuts and coconut if you'd like. This recipe is easily adjustable. Just add the nuts and coconut when you add the WET ingredients.
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