Fraiche Nutrition: Top Secret Granola
I started making granola back in my university days for a healthy (and cheap, let’s face it) snack, and haven’t really stopped. I’m proud to say that my granola has evolved since my first attempts, which had no fat and many experimental ways to sweeten the granola with varying degrees of success. I settled into this recipe after a decade of testing terrible to mediocre batches of granola, and it’s by far the best granola I’ve had.
For some reason, it became my ‘secret recipe’, the only one that I didn’t share. I’m not totally sure why, perhaps I thought that one day I would package it up and turn it into a business. Well, I decided that life is too short, and that it would make me happier to spread the love another way.
Now, you can have fun with the ingredients, and I mix it up all of the time with the kinds of nuts, seeds and fruit that I add (sometimes I skip the fruit completely). My favourites include pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts and pecans but you can use whatever combination your heart desires. The fruit is usually raisins or cranberries but don’t stop there. Dried cherries, figs, apricots and dates also taste incredible! I use a neutral oil such as canola oil, but you can also vary this with melted coconut oil, avocado oil or perhaps some walnut oil mixed with something else?
This makes a HUGE batch, but if you’re like our family and friends, you won’t have a problem finding a home for it. I have to hide it when my brother comes over, and give it out as a gift in a nice package for Christmas every year. I hope you love it as much as we do! xo Tori
Makes… a lot!
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 325F and line two rimmed cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together the oats, nuts, salt, coconut and cinnamon.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the oil, honey, brown sugar and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir well to combine.
- Divide and spread the granola equally between the prepared cookie sheets and bake for approximately 40 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes, until it is golden brown. Add the dried fruit to the granola once it is removed from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Tori is a Registered Dietitian and self-proclaimed foodie. Her nutrition philosophy embraces moderation and quality without deprivation. She started up Fraîche Nutrition on a whim in August 2014, inspired to help share her love of food and educate others on simple healthy eating at the same time. Tori believes that food and nutrition has become overly complicated, and hopes to help others live healthier lives one wholesome recipe at a time
