When I was a kid, I always thought of my grandmother’s house as having a lot of “weird” food. Nana’s kitchen was where I first tried things like Camembert cheese, potato bread, and (unfortunately) bratwurst. It was also at her house that I first tried a mysterious thing called granola.

I remember thinking, “This cereal is SO much better than Cheerios.” It’s amazing what lots of sugar and nuts can do for the flavor of cereal. Imagine that.

My love of granola is only grown since that first bowl—it’s one of those foods with which I have no self control.

These days, I’ve figured out a way to enjoy it while still avoiding a sugar high by using a small amount of maple syrup as the sweetener…and a lot of portion control.

Cherry Almond Granola with Coconut

Makes 8 (1/4 cup) servings

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup dried cherries
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• non-stick cooking spray

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees F.

2. Combine oats, coconut, and almonds in a large mixing bowl. Add maple syrup, and stir to coat.

 

3. Spread on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.

4. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring throughout and making sure not to burn the coconut.

5. Allow to cool slightly and add dried cherries. Enjoy!

Nutrition per 1/4th cup (27g) serving: 136 Calories, 4.5g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 3mg sodium, 22.3g carbohydrate, 2.4g fiber, 9.4g sugars, 3.1g protein

 

If you decide to make this recipe, Margot would be very interested in an opportunity to taste-test…

Filed under: Recipe