maple pecan granola

We love granola at our house.  Not the fattening, oil laden granola that so many places feed you, but homemade maple almond granola.  I have tried other recipes but this one is terrific and terribly easy that you can throw it together in a matter of minutes for a great snack or breakfast.

We love our granola with vanilla yogurt, hubby adds dried fruit, and I add fresh fruit.  But when the cereal and toast grow old, behold there is granola to save you from the breakfast hum drum.

The recipe is one I got from the Cooking Light website.  The only change I make is that I do not add dried fruit to the entire batch. 

Maple Almond Granola                                                                                                                         (Adapted from Cooking Light)

Ingredients

4 Cups regular Oats

1/4 Cup slivered almonds (or nut of choice)

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 Cup water

1/3 Cup honey

1/3 Cup maple syrup

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons canola oil

Cooking Spray

1 Cup minced dried apricots

1 Cup raisins

Preparation

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees

2.  Combine first four ingredients in a large bowl.

3.  Combine water, syrup, sugar, and oil in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.  Pour over oat mixture; toss to coat.  Spread out on a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 325 for 35 minutes or until golden, stirring every 10 minutes.  Place in a large bowl; stir in dried fruit and cool completely.

Note: store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Yield: 6 Cups (serving size 1/4 cup)

Nutritional Information:  calories (126) fat (2.8)