I've gone granola

I've gone granola and I like it.

I got inspired to make my own granola after seeing a couple of posts for recipes around the blogsphere. After researching through my cookbooks and on the internet I decided to use as a foundation a recipe I found on the Martha Stewart website. The recipe is Farmhand's Choice Granola and comes from Nekisia Davis of Early Bird Foods  who sells her granola mixes locally at various spots in Brooklyn NY. What I loved about the recipe is that it uses maple syrup for flavoring and extra virgin olive oil. Most of the recipes I found used vegetable oil and I thought the olive oil would definitely make it lighter and give it better flavor. (Oh how I wish I could have one of the oils from Fiore Artisan Oils and Vinegar that Erin over at Domestic Adventure is giving away.) Plus there was a video accompanying the recipe which is always a plus and super helpful.

If you want the full recipe just click on the link above. I am not a fan of too many seeds and coconut in my granola so I simplified the recipe to better fit our taste.  But that is the beauty of granola you can do so many different mix ins to get just the way you like it. The recipe yields a sweet, yummy, flavorful granola. It is smells divine while it is baking in the oven.

Granola (adapted from Early Bird Foods recipe courtesy of MS website)

Ingredients

• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup, preferably Grade A
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of Kosher Salt
• Pecans, coarsely chopped (I decided to o with pecans after I took the photo because I thought they would be a better compliment to the maple syrup flavoring)
• Cinnamon to taste

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Place oats, pecans, syrup, olive oil, sugar, cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and mix until well combined. 
3. Spread granola mixture in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to oven and bake, stirring every 10 minutes, until granola is toasted, about 45 minutes.
4. Remove granola from oven. Let cool completely before serving or storing in an airtight container for up to 1 month. (If you would like to add raisins, craisins, or dried fruit you can do so after it has cooled.)