Granola With Pecans And Dried Fruit Food

MAPLE PECAN GRANOLA WITH DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Mix oats, pecans, and almonds together in a bowl. Whisk oil, maple syrup, and water together in a measuring cup and pour over oat mixture; stir until evenly coated. Spread oat mixture onto 2 baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes; stir and continue baking for 12 minutes more. Stir and bake until granola is golden brown, about 12 minutes more. Cool to room temperature.
• Mix cinnamon and cardamom together in a container with a lid; add dates, raisins, and cranberries. Cover container and shake until fruit is coated. Stir dried fruit into cooled granola.

HEALTHY GRANOLA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, nuts and/or seeds, salt and cinnamon. Stir to blend.
• Pour in the oil, maple syrup and/or honey and vanilla. Mix well, until every oat and nut is lightly coated. Pour the granola onto your prepared pan and use a large spoon to spread it in an even layer.
• Bake until lightly golden, about 21 to 24 minutes, stirring halfway (for extra-clumpy granola, press the stirred granola down with your spatula to create a more even layer). The granola will further crisp up as it cools.
• Let the granola cool completely, undisturbed (at least 45 minutes). Top with the dried fruit (and optional chocolate chips, if using). Break the granola into pieces with your hands if you want to retain big chunks, or stir it around with a spoon if you don't want extra-clumpy granola.
• Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks, or in a sealed freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. The dried fruit can freeze solid, so let it warm to room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

COCONUT MAPLE GRANOLA WITH MIXED NUTS AND DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and line 2 sheet trays with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, coconut, pecans, pistachios, maple syrup, coconut oil and brown sugar. Divide between the lined sheet trays.
• Bake the granola for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove the granola to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the dried apricots, dried cherries and golden raisins and stir to combine. Allow to cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to two 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.

ULTIMATE IRRESISTIBLE GRANOLA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, stir together the oats, almonds, walnuts, pecans, sesame seeds, wheat germ, coconut and sunflower seeds. In a small pan over medium heat, stir together the oil and honey. Cook and stir until blended. You could also do this in a large measuring cup in the microwave, heating for about 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Pour over the oat mixture, and stir to coat evenly. Spread out in an even layer on two cookie sheets.
• Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until the oats and nuts are toasted. Immediately after it comes out of the oven, stir in the raisins and dried cranberries. Let stand until cooled, and stir again to break up any large clusters. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks, but I guarantee it won't be around that long!

ULTIMATE FRUITY GRANOLA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, sunflower kernels and flax. In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, oil, salt and cinnamon. Cook and stir over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until brown sugar is dissolved and mixture is heated through. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Pour over oat mixture and toss to coat., Transfer to a 15x10x1-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown, stirring every 8 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Stir in dried fruits. Store in an airtight container.

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.

NUTS & SEEDS GRANOLA

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan gas 4. Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment to prevent the granola from sticking. Put all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the almond extract, vegetable oil and maple syrup in a jug, then pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients.
• Mix together well, making sure that all the dry ingredients are well coated and that there are no dry bits. Tip the mixture onto the lined baking sheet and spread out in an even layer. Cook for about 25-30 mins until golden. You will need to give the mixture a few turns every 8-10 mins to make sure it dries out evenly and doesn't clump together too much. Keep an eye on it as nuts can burn easily.
• Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely on the tray. Break up any large clumps of granola with a wooden spoon. Will keep for up to one month in an airtight container. Serve with milk or yogurt, and fresh seasonal fruit, if you like.

CHEF JOHN'S GRANOLA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner.
• Combine brown sugar, maple syrup, oil, and salt in a bowl. Add oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and coconut. Mix well, making sure all ingredients are coated evenly.
• Pour onto prepared baking sheet and distribute in an even layer.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes lightly with the tines of a fork so mixture toasts evenly and granola is golden brown.
• Pour into a bowl and, while mixture is still hot, mix in currants. Cool. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

MIXED FRUIT & NUT GRANOLA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Toss the jumbo oats with the cinnamon, mixed nuts and a pinch of salt in an oven tray. Stir through the melted unsalted butter or coconut oil and the maple syrup. Put in the oven for 35-40 mins or until golden brown, stirring halfway. Allow to cool down completely, then stir through the mixed dried fruit before storing (see tip, below). Serve with milk, yogurt or sprinkled on porridge.