Maple Pecan Granola

 

I have always loved making my own granola. I have been making it since the early 1980's when my next-door neighbor at the time shared her recipe with me. I, for the life of me, could not get my children to eat oatmeal, but they gobbled up granola like crazy.  I was grateful for that.

That original recipe was pretty primitive compared to the granola that I make today.  Through the years I have experimented and adapted it to use different flavors and additions, and I have also tried other people's recipes with great success.  

What can I say?  I LOVE GRANOLA!  It can be a really healthy and delicious way to get protein and fiber into your diet without adding a lot of fat or sugar.  It's all in the mix, and if you add fresh fruit and some yogurt when you are eating it (my preferred way to eat it) then you have a really delicious and healthy breakfast option.

 

This week when I made it, I decided to try out a new recipe. I discovered this recipe on a page called The Kitchen Said.  I loved that it didn't use anything other than what I already had in my larder.  Nothing out of the ordinary.

It was a pretty basic recipe and also looked to be quite low in fat and sugar.  That also appealed to me.  High in fiber, low in fat, low in sugar. That is a pretty unbeatable combination in my books!

 

WHAT YOU NED TO MAKE MAPLE PECAN GRANOLA

This is a fairly simple version of granola and really doesn't take a lot of ingredients.  The original recipe used only cinnamon, but I added a mixture of warm baking spices which gave it a lovely flavor!

• 3 cups (241g) old fashioned rolled oats (the large flake oats, not instant)
• 1 cup (120g) chopped pecan nuts
• 1/3 cup (71g) coconut oil
• 1/3 cup (80ml) pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

 

I used an organic thick flake oats that my sister ordered for me online. It came out lovely.  I like an oats with some tooth to it. 

I used Kirkland pecan nuts, which I broke up with my hands. This kept the chunks nice and not too small.

I use pure Maple syrup, grade B which is darker. Don't use pancake syrup. It is not the same thing.

I make my own vanilla extract. You can find that recipe here. It is very easily done.  Also the fresher your spices the nicer the flavors. They will have more oomph.

If you want to you can add some dried fruit after the granola finished toasting and has cooled down.

 

HOW TO MAKE MAPLE PECAN GRANOLA

Once you have made your own granola you will never settle for a store-bought granola again.  There is a world of difference when it comes to flavor.

Preheat the oven to 325*F/160*C/ gas mark 3. Line a large, lipped, baking tray with some baking parchment. Set aside.

Toss the oats, pecans, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom and salt together in a bowl.

Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Add the vanilla and the maple syrup. Whisk well together to combine.

Pour the coconut oil mixture over the oats and nuts, mixing well together.

 

Spread out evenly on the prepped baking tray.

Toast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Give it all a good stir and spread it out again. Toast for an additional 15 minutes until toasty and golden brown.

Leave to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Enjoy in a bowl with your favorite breakfast toppings (fruit, yogurt, milk, kefir, etc.) or enjoy eaten out of hand as a wholesome snack.

 

HINTS AND TIPS FOR MAKING GREAT GRANOLA

If you follow my hints and tips, you will always have some great granola to eat and enjoy!

1. Granola needs some oil to keep it from being too dry.  Olive oil and coconut oil are two delicious and healthy options.

2.  Use a good old-fashioned large-flaked oats to make your granola. You can also add barley flakes for a tasty addition. Don't use quick or regular oats. They do not have enough "tooth."  

3.  I like to add a mixture of nuts, seeds and large flake unsweetened coconut when I make my granola most of the time. This adds lots of texture, protein and interest.

4.  Don't add any dried fruit until the granola is done and cooled.

5.  Use the right sized baking sheet for the amount of granola you are making. You want it to be pretty full so that the oats done burn. Also, if you press the oats down firmly in the pan you can get some nice clusters, if that is your thing.

 

This was really a very good granola, not too sweet and loaded with plenty of fiber. It was also very quick and easy to make. I loved the flavor that the coconut oil gave to it, and I thought my addition of a variety of warm baking spices was spot on! 

Next time I will add more pecans as I really like a lot of nuts in my granola, but overall, this was delicious. I have been enjoying it in my favorite way with some Greek yogurt and fresh fruit. How will you enjoy yours?

  

I have been making my own granola in one way or another since the early 1980's when my children were all very young. As they wouldn't eat oatmeal back then, it was a great way to get them to eat oats and I thought was a very healthy option for them. Here are a few other granola recipes which I enjoy!

HONEY GRANOLA - A delicious recipe for a granola that uses a beautiful mix of nuts, oats, some Kashi go lean cereal, with olive or coconut oil and sweetened only with some honey.  Once everything is all toasty and golden brown you can add any kind of dried fruit that you enjoy. I like dried cranberries and blueberries. This is a small batch recipe.

CHOCOLATE CINNAMON GRANOLA - Large flake oats and nuts are in equal measure in this granola which is flavored with cocoa powder and cinnamon. With only 1 TBS of maple syrup in the recipe and only 4 TBS of oil, it is low in fat, low in sugar, low in carbs and high in fiber. It is also delicious which makes this recipe a real winner!

Yield: Makes 8 plus servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Maple Pecan Granola

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min

Deliciously wholesome and not overly sweet, with a nice bit of spice and plenty of toasty pecans!

Ingredients

• 3 cups (241g) old fashioned rolled oats (the large flake oats, not instant)
• 1 cup (120g) chopped pecan nuts
• 1/3 cup (71g) coconut oil
• 1/3 cup (80ml) pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325*F/160*C/ gas mark 3. Line a large, lipped, baking tray with some baking parchment. Set aside.
2. Toss the oats, pecans, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom and salt together in a bowl.
3. Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Add the vanilla and the maple syrup. Whisk well together to combine.
4. Pour the coconut oil mixture over the oats and nuts, mixing well together.
5. Spread out evenly on the prepped baking tray.
6. Toast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Give it all a good stir and spread it out again. Toast for an additional 15 minutes until toasty and golden brown.
7. Leave to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
8. Enjoy in a bowl with your favorite breakfast toppings (fruit, yogurt, milk, kefir, etc.) or enjoy eaten out of hand as a wholesome snack.

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