Granola

Some granola recipes just don’t make sense to me. A healthy homemade breakfast cereal isn’t healthy anymore if it’s made with a stick of butter or cups of sugar. I found this recipe for granola that uses applesauce instead of oil or butter here, and adapted it slightly. Each batch makes 1 Sherman size tray. I usually double or triple it. It involves minimal extra effort, and if you’re lucky, some will still be left the next morning for you to have for breakfast!

Ingredients

• ¾ cup plain applesauce

• ¼ cup honey (or maple syrup)

• ¾ cup brown sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1 ½ tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp ginger

• pinch cardamom

• ¾ tsp salt

• 3 ½ cups rolled oats

• 2 cups Rice Krispies (or additional 2 cups oats)

• ½ cup shredded coconut

• Up to 1 ½ cups chopped nuts (almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, etc.)

• Up to 1 cup dried fruit (add after baking!)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. (Sherman: 1 large sheet per batch).

• Mix together sugar, applesauce, honey, vanilla, spices.

• Stir in oats, cereal nuts (NOT fruit.)

• Bake for 15 minutes, then move/turn pan(s). Bake for 15 more minutes.

• Remove from oven, use a large spatula to carefully turn over all the granola. Remove any pieces that are burnt/ already done (save aside the done bits, and compost the burnt ones. Sadly, making granola often involves casualties). Replace in oven for 15 more minutes (so 45 minutes total baking time.) DON'T abandon your granola! There's a fine line between perfectly toasted and burnt granola, so keep an eye on it for this final 15 minutes! Rotate pans as needed. When it's done, it should be lightly toasted. It's okay if some of the bigger clumps are kind of soft. They'll harden as the granola rests. Add fruit, and allow to cool. Store.