So if you’re still looking for a last-minute gift for your friends and neighbors and kids’ teachers, today’s post is for you If you’re looking for something a little different on Christmas morning, this post is for you. If you’re freaking out that Christmas is a week away and that panicky feeling keeps rising up in your chest and you desperately need chocolate, this post is for you.
Finding a good granola recipe that isn’t COMPLETELY horrible for you and/or doesn’t use 52,000 ingredients that will sit in your freezer/pantry for the next 3 years (not that I would know anything about this) can be quite the task. I love this recipe from Melissa d’Arabian because it meets that criteria, plus a) it’s super customizable, so all my fantasies of coconut, cherries, and chocolate were able to come true, and b) it’s pretty hands-off; none of this “stirring every 5 minutes for the next three hours” business. Okay, the three hours might be an exaggeration, but the every 5 minutes thing is not. That’s pretty much a recipe for disaster at my house.
To flavor the granola, you’re going to need coconut oil (try and find virgin coconut oil, the kind that still smells and tastes like coconut. This is my favorite brand), cinnamon, ginger, honey (you can also do part honey and part oatmeal syrup–I actually like straight-up honey better for a few reasons–real maple syrup is very expensive, so it seems like a waste when you can’t even really taste the maple flavor. Also, honey has a more distinct flavor and the syrup can become a little bitter during the baking process), water, and vanilla.
Preheat your oven to 300. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
Place the coconut oil in a small, microwave-safe mixing bowl (or a large cereal/soup bowl)–if you didn’t know, coconut oil is solid at room temperature. You know, just in case you’re ever on Jeopardy.
and heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until melted.
Whisk in the cinnamon and ginger,
then add the honey, water, and vanilla and whisk until combined.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 4 cups oats, 1 cup coconut, 1 cup Rice Krispies, and wheat germ.
Drizzle the oil/honey mixture over the oats and toss well to combine. Spread the mixture evenly over the prepared baking sheet
and place it in the oven. Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes (be sure to get all the corners and edges because they’ll be the first to get crispy), until the granola is golden (by and large, it won’t come together like commercial granola, and it will crisp up after it’s cooled off. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
When the granola has cooled, add the remaining 1/2 cup of coconut, 1 cup dark chocolate chips,
cherries (chop ’em up after you measure them),
and nuts. I’m using pistachios,
but you could pretty much use any nuts you want here–cashews and macadamia nuts would be especially delicious. My only advice would be to make sure they’re salted so you get that dimensional flavor. If you’re using unsalted nuts, you might want to add a pinch or two of salt to the honey/cinnamon/oil mixture. Toss well to combine.
Stir in an airtight container for a few weeks; it will last longer if you refrigerate or freeze it.
Eat it straight as a snack, sprinkle it over yogurt, or pour milk over it and eat it like cold cereal.
Makes about 8-9 cups.
Homemade Granola with Cherries, Chocolate, & Pistachios
Recipe adapted by Our Best Bites from Melissa d’Arabian
Ingredients:
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil (try to find the stuff that smells/tastes like coconut; this is what I use)
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup honey (or 1/4 cup honey and 1/4 cup real maple syrup)
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups whole oats (not steel cut or quick-cooking)
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut, divided (sweetened or unsweetened, depending on your preference)
1 cup Rice Krispies cereal
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 cup salted pistachios (or salted nut of your choice; macadamia nuts or cashews would be delicious!)
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup dried cherries (or cranberries if you prefer); if using cherries, measure first, then roughly chop them
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 300. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
Place the coconut oil in a small, microwave-safe mixing bowl (or a large cereal/soup bowl) and heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until melted. Whisk in the cinnamon and ginger, then add the honey, water, and vanilla and whisk until combined.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, 1 cup coconut, Rice Krispies, and wheat germ. Drizzle the oil/honey mixture over the oats and toss well to combine. Spread the mixture evenly over the prepared baking sheet and place it in the oven. Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes (be sure to get all the corners and edges because they’ll be the first to get crispy), until the granola is golden (by and large, it won’t come together like commercial granola, and it will crisp up after it’s cooled off. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
When the granola has cooled, add the remaining 1/2 cup of coconut, chocolate chips, cherries, and nuts. Toss well to combine. Stir in an airtight container for a few weeks; it will last longer if you refrigerate or freeze it. Eat it straight as a snack, sprinkle it over yogurt, or pour milk over it and eat it like cold cereal. Makes about 8-9 cups.
ALSO. If you haven’t headed over to our recently opened olive oil shop, go check it out! If you hurry, you can still get your order before Christmas!
