Fruit and coconut pan-toasted granola

This might also be called not-patient-enough-to-wait-for-the-oven granola, because that’s how I made it. I was at the crossroads of a small problem—I wanted a crunchy granola to top my plain yogurt with, but I was hungry past of the point of actually heating up the oven. (Lame, I know, but it birthed a fast recipe for you!)

Nutritional low-down

A Mayo Clinic R.D. (that’s registered dietician in layman talk) touted granola a la this: “Dietitian’s tip: Granola is a cereal-like combination of dried fruits, grains and nuts. Though it’s a good source of protein and fiber, granola can also be high in fat and calories, especially the store-bought varieties. Watch your portion sizes or create your own granola to limit the amount of fat, calories and sugar in each serving.”

The Mayo Clinic also has a few (well-known) things about snacking and weight-loss here. And what do you know? They highlight three food groups/areas included in this very recipe—whole grains, fruits, and nuts and seeds. To qualify for the last “healthy snack” category (dairy), simply toss some of your granola your favorite low-fat yogurt.

Here’s my granola philosophy:

In other words, store-bought = not so good for you or anyone else + can be expensive (but yes, still tastes good).

Make-at-home granola = high nutrient density + cheap & possibly already around + textury, highly tasty, and versatile = why aren’t you making some now?

If you’re looking for something fast, tasty, and nutritious–with a bit of crunch–then this is something for your weekday fare, too.

Variations on a theme

Feel free to add in a few things you like, too—here are some suggestions to get you started with your own take on this creation:

• Unsalted nuts like walnuts, sunflower seeds, cashews, and macadamia nuts
• Other dried fruits—banana chips, prunes (not just for the elderly!)
• Candied orange, lemon, or lime peel
• Fruit juices like orange or grapefruit juice—use to sweeten and flavor naturally

Enjoy!

-E

Fruit and coconut pan-toasted granola From raw to eating: 15-20 minutes Makes: 4+ cups’ worth—enough for many breakfasts

Inside: 3 ½ C rolled oats 1 T powdered milk 4 T brown sugar (not packed) 2 ½ T honey 2 ½ T vegetable oil (I used canola) ½ C sweetened shredded coconut 4 T unsalted, plain sunflower seeds ½ C chopped dried fruit (I used dried cranberries and apricots) Combine all ingredients but dried fruit in a large bowl. Use either your (clean) hands or a fork and gently mix together until you’ve got one (relatively) homogenous mix. Place a large, shallow pan on medium heat. Give it a couple of minutes to get nice and hot, and, working in batches, make yourself some granola! Stir with a wooden spoon every couple of minutes; each batch will need about seven minutes’ time to fully toast. When the oats have turned a deep golden, brown sugar color, you’re done. The granola will chunk up as it cools, but this particular recipe yields looser granola. Store granola in an airtight container for 4-6 weeks. (And when I say 4-6 weeks, I’ll be honest—I’m totally guessing. You could bet right that it’d be eaten at my house much sooner than that, but if not, I’d keep it around just as long as I felt like it! I can’t see any foodborne illness or even staleness happening with our hearty granola friends in that time. Hurrah!