My (and Gwyneth's) favourite granola

I have been featuring a lot of food posts lately...probably because as you've guessed, I cook a lot. I enjoy cooking, it's healthier, and often tastier than what you can buy. Today's post is no exception...I have tried a number of different granola recipes with no luck. They're either too sweet, too oat-y, not crispy enough, or they end up burning (I was just following directions!). 

This past weekend I pulled out Gwyneth Paltrow's cookbook My Father's Daughter and she had a recipe in there called "My favorite granola". I gave it a shot (with a few substitutions) and it is now MY fave granola too. {recipe follows after the photos}

mixed, before cooking

cooked, all brown and roast-y

Yumm. I put the raisins in whenever I eat it so the granola stays crispy :) I like to eat it with yoghurt (greek yoghurt currently), and some fresh fruit (this weekend was mango and banana).

And, just because I am so nice, I have typed up this recipe for you to enjoy:

Favorite Granola

-Gwyneth Paltrow, My Father’s Daughter

2 cups whole rolled oats (not instant and not steel-cut)

½ cup raw, whole almonds

¼ cup pumpkin seeds

¼ cup sunflower seeds

½ tsp garam masala

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp fine salt

½ cup real maple syrup

3 Tbsp light agave nector or brown rice syrup

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

½ cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 F

Stir together the oats, almonds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, spices, and salt in a large bowl.  Combine the maple syrup, agave, and vegetable oil in a small bowl and then mix with the dry ingredients. Spread the granola out on a non stick sheet pan or a regular sheet pan covered with parchment paper and coated with a little vegetable oil.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until evenly browned.

If you like your granola in clumps, remove the pan from the oven and push the granola around so it’s about 1/3” thick, letting it cook completely and then breaking it apart into small pieces.

If you like your granola loose, simply spread it out in the pan and let it cool.

Either way, combine the cooled granola with the cranberries. Keeps well for 2-3 months in an airtight container.

**I subbed in honey for agave because I didn’t have agave, skipped the garam masala, and used coconut oil in place of vegetable oil. I also kept the dried fruit out completely as I thought it would make the granola soft. I add raisins or apricots when I eat it.