My recipe is adapted from a recipe published in the late, great Gourmet Magazine in 2008, which itself was derived from a recipe created by Melissa Hotek, of L'Auberge Provencale. Half a cup provides 207 calories, 5.6 grams of protein, 21.8 carbohydrate grams, and 12.2 grams of fat (including one gram of saturated fat). Conversely, commercial varieties may contain 3-4 grams of saturated fat (up to 20% of your recommended daily max) and 35-40 grams of carbs.
The great thing about this recipe is that you can switch out ingredients and experiment with abandon. Try flax seed or oat bran instead of wheat germ (or just mix them all in together). Play with a variety of nuts and dried fruit, or change up the honey or maple syrup for a subtly different flavor. I also love the idea of adding cocoa nibs (try Cacao Nibs, 8 oz, Sunfood (peeled, raw, certified organic)
or Navitas Naturals Organic Raw Chocolate Nibs, King of Cacao 16 Ounce Pouch (Pack of 2)
) for a morning hit of chocolate. Doctor Sarah's Favorite Granola
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup mild honey or maple syrup
1 cup raw wheat germ
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups chopped mixed nuts (almonds, walnuts, and pecans)
2 cups dried fruit (I love dried California apricots (Sun Maid California Apricots, 6-Ounce Pouches (Pack of 4)
) ; avoid the Turkish ones, since they are too soft and sugary)Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
Stir together, oil, honey, wheat germ, vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, then stir in oats and nuts.
Bake 15 minutes, then stir and continue to bake, checking and stirring every few minutes, until golden brown, about 10 minutes more.
Stir in dried fruit and cool to room temperature
Makes about 6 cups
