Courtesy of Pastry Chef Heather Earnhardt, Volunteer Park Café
Makes 12 cups | start to finish: 30 minutes
Heather suggests mixing and matching the nut and fruit combination to your taste. If you’re not a fan of raisins, she recommends dried apricots and currants as a tasty mix.
Recipe
2 cups chopped walnuts
6 cups whole oats (not instant or quick cooking)
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup chopped pecan pieces
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1/2 cup honey
3/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup dried cherries
2 cups raisins
1/2 cup dried currants
Steps
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine walnuts, oats, coconut, almonds, pecans, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds in a large bowl and set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine cinnamon, vanilla, maple syrup, honey, canola oil and brown sugar. Whisk occasionally until warm and sugar is dissolved. Pour wet mixture over dry mixture. Stir with spatula until thoroughly coated. Spread evenly onto two lightly oiled sheet pans. Bake, stirring mixture every 5-7 minutes until granola is golden brown. The total cooking time is approximately 20-23 minutes.
Let the granola cool completely, then add the dried cherries, raisins and currants.
Store in airtight container for up to one week.
*vegetarian
*dairy-free