Almond Granola With Dried Fruit Food

EXTREME GRANOLA WITH DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large shallow baking sheet with foil. Spread the pecans and almonds on the sheet and roast for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly toasted. Transfer the nuts to a board, let cool, and chop the nuts. Set aside.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F. Pour the oats and sesame seeds, if using, in a mound on the same baking sheet. Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave; stir in the maple syrup and salt, and drizzle on top of the oats. Stir well with a rubber spatula and then spread out the oats in an even layer. Bake the oats for 30 minutes, stirring once with the spatula halfway through, until the oats are lightly colored. Let cool; the mixture will crisp as it cools.
• Add the dates, dried fruit, and reserved nuts to the oats and toss. Store the granola in covered glass jars at room temperature for up to 1 month.

FRUIT & NUT GRANOLA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Heat the oil, honey and maple syrup together in a pan. Mix the oats, almonds, pine nuts, puffed rice and sesame seeds in a large mixing bowl. Pour over the honey mix, stir well to coat, then tip onto a large baking tray. Bake for 15 mins until everything is golden and crisp.
• Take the tray from the oven, leave to cool, then break up any big clumps. Mix together with the dried fruit and coconut shavings. Serve with Greek yogurt and fresh raspberries. The rest of the granola can be stored in a sealed jar and enjoyed over the next 2 weeks.

GRANOLA WITH PECANS AND DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Lightly coat two rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar, honey, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Add oats and pecans; stir to combine. Divide mixture between sheets. Bake 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup coconut to each sheet; bake until mixture is golden brown, 15 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets. Stir in dried fruit and chocolate chips, if desired.

GRANOLA BARS WITH DRIED FRUIT AND SEEDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly coat a 13x9" pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on both long sides; spray parchment.
• Pulse 3/4 cup fruit and 1/2 cup hot water in a food processor until smooth and incorporated, 3-4 minutes. Add honey, almond butter, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla and pulse until combined, about 15 seconds. Add 1/2 cup oats and pulse until well combined, 30-45 seconds. Add pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut, and remaining 1 cup oats and 1/2 cup fruit. Pulse until just combined, about 15 seconds.
• Transfer mixture to prepared pan, pressing down until completely even. Bake granola until darkened, firm around the edges, and the center gives just slightly when pressed, about 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool in pan. Remove granola using parchment overhang, then cut into 20 bars with a serrated knife.
• Do Ahead
• Granola can be made 5 days ahead. Keep tightly wrapped at room temperature.

ALMOND GRANOLA WITH DRIED FRUIT RECIPE - (4/5)

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Whisk maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in large bowl. Whisk in oil. Fold in oats and almonds until thoroughly coated. 3. Transfer oat mixture to prepared baking sheet and spread across sheet into thin, even layer (about 3/8 inch thick). Using stiff metal spatula, compress oat mixture until very compact. Bake until lightly browned, 40 to 45 minutes, rotating pan once halfway through baking. Remove granola from oven and cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 1 hour. Break cooled granola into pieces of desired size. Stir in dried fruit. (Granola can be stored in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.)