We’ve been getting back into our yogurt making adventures after a slight hiatus, so I decided to whip up a big batch of my favorite granola recipe to go along with our homemade yogurts for breakfast.  This granola is inspired by a recipe posted by Martha Stewart back in 2010, and it’s always the one I turn to when I make granola.  It’s very easy and the results are always great!

My recipe omits the extra brown sugar listed in Martha’s recipe, because I think the maple syrup pulls enough sweetness into this dish.  I generally feel like granola can sometimes turn into an overly sweet, candy disguised as healthy situation, so I like to limit the amount of sugar I add to my granola when I make it at home.  The mixture of maple syrup and olive oil provides the perfect flavor balance to this granola – savory, grassy notes from the olive oil complement the caramelized, maple notes of the syrup.  Plus, there is no melting of butter or making a sugar syrup required, so this is an awesome and easy base that mixes right into the oats, nuts and seeds!

I also like that the add-ins are very flexible – any combination of nuts and seeds that you have on hand are a go!  In addition, you can throw in any of your favorite dried fruits, candies, or chocolate chips after baking and cooling to make your own snack mix.  The recipe provided below serves as a great base for any mix-ins, so creativity here is welcome!

I’ve listed some great variations to this recipe below, that can be mixed in and baked right into the granola:

• Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, peanuts, hazelnuts, pecans, coconut chips/shreds (unsweetened and untoasted, otherwise they will burn).
• Seeds: Flax, chia, sesame, pumpkin/pepitas, sunflower

Remember to add any fruit or chocolate mix-ins only after baking or cooling, as these will burn during the baking process!

Recipe down below, photo up top!  This makes a big batch that can be stored in an air-tight container or plastic bag and enjoyed for up to 2 weeks without becoming stale.

Maple and Olive Oil Granola

Ingredients:

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup almonds, roughly chopped
• 1 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup of flax seeds
• ½ cup of maple syrup
• ½ cup of olive oil
• 1 tsp salt

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 300F.
2. Roughly chop hazelnuts and almonds into large, bite-sized pieces (roughly, halves and quarters).  Add nuts to a large bowl after chopping.
3. Add oats, flax seeds, maple syrup, olive oil, and salt to the large bowl with the chopped nuts.  Stir to fully combine all of the ingredients together.
4. On a baking sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (Silpat), spread the granola into an even layer, using the entire baking sheet. 
5. Put the baking sheet pan into the oven, and bake the granola at 300F for 45 minutes.
6. After baking, remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet pan completely, about 1-2 hours.  Once fully cool, use a spoon to transfer the granola to an air-tight container or plastic bag for storage.  Feel free to add any mix-ins at this time (dried fruit, candy, chocolate pieces). 
7. Enjoy!