GRANOLA SPRINKLE

E was late to sprout teeth. Very late. And as a result, we were reluctant early on to serve him crunchy granola. I wanted to offer him an alternative, something delicious to eat on top of his granola, while also introducing a little fun sprinkling action. He loves it to this day. 

THE LAST GRANOLA

Somewhere around this time last year, I was mulling over the idea of participating in my first ever flea market. Inspired by a dear friend, I was tempted to try selling some of my homemade granola. The idea excited me for a whole slew of reasons: one - spending a whole day doing nothing but baking and bagging granola; two - for the fun of choosing the packaging and designing a logo; and finally - the fact that people other then myself may actually love the product and buy a bag of 7granola (yahoo!).

Here we are one year later, and though the flea was a huge success (!!!!!), it won't be happening again any time soon (too many other fun things on the go). So I figured, in true fairness to you, that I would share a version of last year's famous granola. Happy snacking!

SOFT GRANOLA BITES WITH CRANBERRIES + ALMONDS

I'm the girl who has snacks in her bag - always. Airplanes, cars, chair lifts, running errands, you name it, I've got you covered. I take this role very seriously, and as such, am always on the lookout for new and interesting snacks. My go-to's as of late: granola bars for the ski hill; no-bake energy balls for weekend adventures; and trail mix for, well, whenever really.

With an upcoming 5 hours train ride, and a full day of skiing, I was craving something different. If I'm being totally honest, I really just wanted something that could easily be inhaled while waiting in line for the chairlift (busted). Cue the soft granola bite -- perfectly sized and textured to sneak into your bag, and packed with all the things that will more than satisfy your hunger.

GRANOLA WITH APPLES + HONEY

The week between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is intended to be a week of solemn reflection. Quiet time to mull over the events of the previous year, and prepare oneself for the year to come. Time to consider ones wrong doings and resolve how to make amends. My heart feels heavy, and my head full and overwhelmed.

I wasn't quite ready to tackle something new in the kitchen, but knew that cooking (or baking) would be just what I needed. Granola seemed safe and comforting - like throwing on an old cozy sweater. Apples and honey for Rosh Hashanah, symbolizing the sweet year to come, and a sprinkle of poppy seeds, because this time of year, I couldn't leave them out.

GRANOLA WITH APPLES + HONEY // makes 6 cups

Preheat oven to 325.

Ingredients:

3 cups oats
1/2 cup whole almonds
1/2 cup whole cashews
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 T poppy seeds
1 apple thinly sliced (~1 cup)

1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup honey
1/2 tsp vanilla

What to do:

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, ginger and poppy seeds. Toss to combine. Add the apple slices and toss again, being sure to separate all the individual apple pieces.

In a glass measuring cup, whisk together the liquids. Pour over the oat mixture and stir to evenly coat.

Transfer to two parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown, tossing halfway through. The apples will be a bit soft when you remove the trays from the oven, and will harden slightly as they cool.

Let cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Will keep for a week.

MAPLE ROASTED PLUMS WITH ALMOND SESAME OATS

Temperatures have totally dropped this week; there's a chill in the air and it smells like Fall -- time to pack away my sandals and break out the boots (honestly not sure if that terrifies me or excites me).

Colder temps have me craving warm, comforting breakfasts. On a good week, I'll motivate myself to make toasted oats, or maybe even baked oatmeal, but sometimes, all I want is warm fruit and granola. This recipe swings all the ways -- breakfast, mid day snack or dessert -- the plums can easily be reheated throughout the week, and are complimented beautifully with yogurt or ice cream. Ontario stone fruit is still abundant at the market, but if you can't find good plums, try apple compote instead, I imagine it would be equally satisfying and hearty.

ALMOND SESAME OATS // makes 3 cups

Preheat oven to 325.

Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup coconut flakes
2 T sesame seeds
pinch of cardamom

2 T maple syrup
2 T brown sugar
2 T water
1/4 cup olive oil

What do do:

Toss all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients. Pour the wet over the dry and mix to evenly coat all the oats. Spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 10-20 minutes, rotating halfway through, until golden brown. Allow to cool before serving.

MAPLE ROASTED PLUMS // serves 4

Preheat oven to 375.

Ingredients:

4 plums, halved and pits removed
2 T maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp ground ginger

What to do:

Place the plum halves on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Combine the maple syrup, vanilla and ginger in a small bowl and whisk to eliminate any clumps. Brush the plums with syrup, allowing a small pool to form where the pit was, yet conserving some of the liquid for serving. Roast for 25 minutes, with an optional extra 2-5 minutes on broil.

Serve the plums warm, with a smattering of oats, a drizzle of leftover syrup, and an optional scoop of vanilla ice cream or yogurt.

ALL THE SEEDS AND THINGS GRANOLA

I do my very best to make a fresh batch of granola every week. For a while, I was experimenting with new combinations every few weeks, but once I found my go-to recipe, it was too delicious to keep shopping around. However, I decided to dive back into the fun of making granola this week and aim for something lighter, crunchier and slightly less sweet -- to complement all the gorgeous summer fruit and berries around town right now.

It so happens that I picked the hottest night of the summer to whip up this week's batch, so I found myself out on the back deck barbecuing granola - yup, that's a thing. Whoever said barbecues can't do everything is seriously mistaken.

ALL THE SEEDS AND THINGS GRANOLA // makes 3 cups

I describe the bbq technique below, but if you're using an oven, follow the typical granola baking rule - spread mixture evenly onto a parchment lined baking tray (or two), and bake at 325 for 20 minutes, flipping at 10.

Heat grill to medium low, hovering between 300-350.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup rye flakes
1/2 cup raw millet
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 T sesame seeds
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger

2 T brown sugar
2 T maple syrup
2 T water
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

What to do:

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and use your hands to toss everything together.

In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, maple syrup, water and coconut oil.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and mix well to combine.

Evenly spread the mixture onto a disposable aluminum tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes, shaking and rotating the tray every 5 minutes to avoid burning.

When lightly toasted and crispy, remove from heat and let cool completely before storing in an air tight container.

CHERRY + DATE GRANOLA BARS

Summer weekends tend to involve travel and time spent on the go -- sitting in traffic attempting to get to a cottage, quick jaunts to wine country (countdown to August!!), extended weekends home to visit family or galavanting to unexplored parts of the city. This weekend, we're heading to upstate New York for a friend's wedding -- a 4 hour drive each way -- meaning countless hours in the car, traffic, border crossings, boredom and hunger. If only this week had allowed me the time to whip up a batch of these granola bars. Oh well, carrot and celery sticks it is.

I made a batch of these bars for our trip to Washington - and we loved them. They stayed gooey, crunchy and delicious for the whole week, and having a snack from home was a lovely treat during a week away. They're quick to make and keep for days, so give them a try before hitting the road this weekend! Happy weekend!

CHERRY + DATE GRANOLA BARS // makes 12 bars

Preheat oven to 325.

Ingredients:

1 cup oats
1 cup rice crispies
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup dates, roughly chopped
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup pepitas
1/2 cup large flake coconut
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup almond butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

What to do:

Place all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine.

In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients. It will be a lot easier if the almond butter is at room temperature, otherwise, don't give up and work through the mixture.

Pour the wet mixture over the dry and stir to combine and coat everything.

Transfer to a rectangular (or square) roasting pan, and use the back of a measuring spoon to press the mixture firmly into the pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool completely before cutting. Store in the fridge, cut in the pan, or individually wrapped.

PISTACHIO AND PINEAPPLE GRANOLA

The temperature was in the positives today, and you know what that means? Spring is coming! As much as I love winter, I am a huge fan of inter-seasons. That beautiful time of year when winter melts to spring, or when summer fades into autumn. The glistening sun and spring scent in the air had me craving summer flavours, and what says summer better then pineapple?

PISTACHIO AND PINEAPPLE GRANOLA // makes about 6 cups

Preheat oven to 325.

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup pistachios, shelled
3/4 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup whole almonds
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup dried pineapple, chopped

What to do:

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine.

In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the olive oil, maple syrup and vanilla.

Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and stir to evenly coat everything.

Lay the mixture on 2 parchment lined baking sheets, trying to spread the granola into a single layer.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden and crispy, checking and stirring at 10.

Once removed from the oven, add the chopped pineapple.

Let cool completely before storing.

ps. thanks cmae for the stunning new bowl.

HAZELNUT + CHOCOLATE GRANOLA

I'm out of town this week, skiing my heart out (more to come on that later), but had this recipe sitting in my drafts from before we left. With Valentine's day rapidly approaching, it seemed like the perfect time to spread the love of chocolately granola. This recipe draws flavours from Nutella in hopes of satisfying that chocolate hazelnut craving, morning, afternoon, or night. So go ahead, treat yourself (or your loved ones), and indulge!

HAZELNUT + CHOCOLATE GRANOLA // makes enough for the week

Adapted from Whole Grain Morning's Hazelnut Cacao Nib Granola 

Preheat oven to 325.

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
3/4 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup mini dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs

What to do:

Combine the dry ingredients, seeds, and spices in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, maple syrup and melted coconut oil.

Bowl the liquid over the oats and mix well to combine and coat all the oats.

As evenly as possible, spread the mixture onto two parchment lined baking sheets.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring every minutes.

Once removed from the oven, stir in half the chocolate. This creates some pretty awesome chocolately clusters. Once cooled completely, add the rest of the chocolate.

OMA'S GRANOLA

I made this granola last Sunday, December 22, 2013. We awoke with no breakfast food in the house. Nigel headed to McDonald's. Me on the other hand, was craving something healthy, so I decided to whip up a fresh batch of granola. Mid nut chopping, my phone rang and my mom told me that my Oma had passed away. My Oma was great at so many things - cooking being one of them. Her homemade challah, unlike the typical friday night treat, was sprinkled with poppy seeds instead of sesame. I hardly ever put poppy seeds in my granola, but for some reason, had decided to that morning. Life can be funny like that sometimes.

The delayed post has to do with the fact that this past week hasn't been filled with festive Christmas celebrations but rather somber, much needed grieving. Love you Omes. Always. xx

OMA'S GRANOLA // makes about 3 cups

Preheat oven to 325.

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped
1/2 cup coconut flakes
2-3 tbsp poppy seeds
dash of cinnamon
dash of cardamom
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup dried canberries (to be added after oven)

What to do:

In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and mix well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil and honey.

Pour the wet mixture over the dry and stir well, coating all the oats in the oil honey mixture.

Spread oats onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes checking every 10 minutes and stirring.

Once golden and crispy, remove from oven, add the cranberries, and allow to cool completely before storing.

HOLIDAY GRANOLA

I came across Marge Granola through Sprouted Kitchen's holiday gift guide. It then led me to this site, which may have just become my new favourite website. Quitokeeto describes themselves as an "online purveyor of items worth owning", and I couldn't agree more. Definitely worth a look if you ask me.

I was fascinated with the praise Marge Granola was getting, and managed to find a rough breakdown of the proportions at The Kitchn. I used the description on the packaging for a little extra guidance. I may have to agree with The Faux Martha, this just might be the last granola recipe I turn to for a while. Yum!

HOLIDAY GRANOLA // makes about 6 cups

Preheat oven to 350.

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup large flaked coconut
1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1/2 cup almonds, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla

1 cup dried cranberries (saved for the end)

What to do:

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Pour the liquid over the oats and mix well to combine.

Spread the mixture onto two parchment lined baking sheets - ensure the granola is spread in a single layer.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Monitor the granola regularly to avoid burning. Oats will crisp up once removed from the oven. Add the cranberries to the hot mixture and let cool before storing.

I decided to make a few extra batches and wrap these bad boys up as some last minute Christmas gifts. I headed to the local Home Hardware, bought some mason jars, burlap and holiday ribbon. After letting the granola cool, I filled each jar and wrapped it with a 8x8 inch piece of burlap. I threaded the card onto the ribbon and tied it. I made the cards with brown card stock and a sharpie. Head over here for a little inspiration. Merry Christmas!

WINTERY GRANOLA

December has officially hit, and this means holiday shopping, christmas music, cuddles in front of the fire, -17 degree walks to work and snow! Our holiday shopping is almost done (it helps having Chanukah in November!), but I've decided I may add some granola to the pile under the tree this year. That being said, I'm on a mission to find the perfect wintery mix. Attempt number one was jam packed with delicious ingredients, and the hazelnuts and cranberries were super festive!

WINTERY GRANOLA // makes enough for the week, and then some

Preheat oven to 350.

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/4 cup sun flower seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries (to be added at the end)

3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla extract

What to do:

In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (save the cranberries until after the oven).

In a separate bowl, melt the coconut oil. Add the honey, water and vanilla and whisk to combine.

Pour the wet mixture over the dry, and using your hands, mix well to combine.

Spread the mixture out on 2 parchment lined baking sheets.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, checking frequently to avoid burning.

Once removed from the oven, add the cranberries while the oats are still hot. Let cool completely before storing.

COCONUT-TY CHAI GRANOLA

Sunday mornings have become our time to catch up on SNL - and make granola. I start prepping the batch as the show starts, and some time later, the granola is done, the house smells divine, and we've laughed enough to last the day. I came across this recipe for chai granola and was amazed at the simplicity of recreating a chai flavour. You're going to love it.

COCONUT-TY CHAI GRANOLA // makes about 2 cups

Adapted from La Casa de Sweets

Preheat oven to 325.

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup raw cashews, chopped
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
dash of nutmeg
dash of cloves
dash of cardamom

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

What to do:

In a large bowl, combined oats, chopped nuts, coconut and spices.

In a separate bowl, melt the coconut oil, and then whisk in the honey and vanilla.

Pour the liquid over the oats and mix well, making sure to coat all the oats with the oil/honey mixture.

Place the mixture on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, checking and stirring at 10.

AUTUMN GRANOLA

AUTUMN GRANOLA // makes enough for the week

Loosely adapted from My New Roots

Preheat oven to 350.

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup raw almonds, chopped
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
3/4 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup dried currents (to be added after)
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 vanilla bean

What to do:

In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds and coconut.

In a small skillet on medium heat, combine and melt the honey, coconut oil, and inside 'paste' of 1 vanilla bean.

When the mixture starts to boil, remove from the heat and pour over the oats. Stir well to coat all the flakes.

Spread mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for ~30 minutes, checking and stirring every 10 minutes. Remember that the oats crisp up once removed from the oven, so be careful not to overcook/burn.

Once you remove the pan from the oven, add in the currents and stir to combine.

PUMPKIN GRANOLA

I caved, and finally decided to buy pumpkin puree. Once its in the house, the pumpkin inspired recipes are endless. In keeping with my weekly routine, I opted for pumpkin granola as the first endeavour. The result was more chunky then previous granola batches, probably because the apple sauce and pumpkin puree hold the oatmeal together better. All this to say, I see this recipe more as a snacking granola, then a cereal granola. Either way, its delicious!

PUMPKIN GRANOLA // makes enough for the week

Recipe updated October 2016.

Preheat oven to 325.

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup pepitas
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/3 cup pumpkin purée
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup olive oil (or coconut oil)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

What to do:

In a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients. Combine both, and mix well to coat the oats in the pumpkin mixture.

Lay the mixture on 2 parchment lined baking sheets, and bake for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown, checking every 10 minutes and moving the oats around on the pan.

The oats will crisp up as they cool. Let cool before storing.

CARROT CAKE GRANOLA

Last year, my roommate introduced me to Love Crunch Carrot Cake Granola. Ever since then, I have been meaning to attempt to make cake cake granola at home. Though the carrot flavour was actually kind of subtle, this recipe was a crowd pleaser (aka - devoured in 3 days).

CARROT CAKE GRANOLA // makes enough for a week

Adapted from Heather's French Press

Preheat oven to 325.

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup raisins

What to do:

Combine the oats, coconut, pecans and carrots in a large bowl and set aside.
Im a small pan, combine the oil, maple syrup and brown sugar; bring to a boil over medium heat.
Once melted, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and spices.
Pour the liquid over the oat mixture, and mix until combined.
Spread the granola over 2 baking sheets and bake for 30-40 minutes, checking and stirring every 10, be careful not to burn it!
Once removed from the oven, add in the raisins, mix well, and let cool before storing in an air tight container.

PISTACHIO PECAN POPPY SEED GRANOLA

Sunday afternoons have become my granola time. I take a little trip to Kensington Market to stock up on bulk dry goods, and then whip up a little container of granola for the week. This week's trip to Kensington also included a little stop at one of my favourite stores to treat myself to an apron and new dish towel...oh the small joys.

PISTACHIO PECAN POPPY SEED GRANOLA // makes enough for the week

Inspired by Always with Butter

Preheat oven to 300.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups rolled oat
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup pistachios
3 tbsp poppy seeds
2 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup honey

What to do:

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl;
In a small pan, melt the butter and honey until it begins to boil;
Pour hot mixture into the bowl and mix well to combine;
Spread mixture onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets;
Bake for about 30 minutes, checking and tossing regularly in 10 minute intervals.

HAZELNUT CARDAMOM GRANOLA

I'm really feeling home made granola these days. You can mix pretty much any combination of oats, butter/oil, liquid sweet (like honey or maple syrup) and seeds, nuts or dried fruit. Toss it in the oven for roughly 45 mins at 300 and you're set. It makes for a great morning treat or afternoon snack, and its significantly more healthy then the store bought stuff.

HAZELNUT CARDAMOM GRANOLA // makes enough for a week's worth

Adapted from Naturally Ella

Preheat oven to 300.

Ingredients:

1 cup raw hazelnuts (pulsed coarse in a food processor)
2 cups rolled oats
dash of salt
1 tsp cardamom
zest from 1 orange
4 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup butter
1 cup dried cranberries

What to do:

Mix the chopped nuts, oats and dash of salt in a large bowl.
In a small frying pan, melt together the butter, maple syrup, cardamom and orange zest.
Pour the liquid over the nut/oat mixture and mix well to cover all the oats.
Bake at 300 for 20 minutes; stir and bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden but not burnt.
Remove from oven, let cool slightly and mix in the dried cranberries.

SESAME GRANOLA

Today is Labor Day Monday. First one in a long time that I am not waking up in the country, with a full Brome Fair belly. I suppose I could have decided to make something deep fried and delicious this morning, but instead I gravitated towards some homemade comfort granola.

SESAME GRANOLA // makes enough to store for at least a week of breakfasts

Inspired by Seven Spoons

Preheat oven to 375.

Mix together the wet/sweet ingredients:

2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil (or olive oil)
pinch of salt

Mix together the dry ingredients:

2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup sesame seeds

Fold the wet ingredients over the dry, and using your hands, coat the oats really well.
Spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
Stir the mixture and rotate the pan; bake for an additional 8-10 minutes.
Once removed from the oven, let the granola cool for about 20 minutes to maximize crispy-ness.