Cranberry pistachio granola

A batch of roasting granola in the oven will make your home feel cozy.

The last time I posted about breakfast cereal, I was dissing granola in favor of muesli. I’m back in the granola camp these days.

Sometimes, on a rainy weekend like this one, things just don’t seem right without a batch of granola in the oven. The kids walk by the cooling pan all afternoon and sneak bits. I act like I don’t see. Things are made particularly cozy by the fact that I am officially listening to Christmas music. I make myself wait until November 1st. I am the World’s Biggest Toasted-Oat-Eating Sap.

Cranberry pistachio granola
This recipe uses butter – you can sub vegetable oil if you want, and you can use as little as 3 or 4 tablespoons of it. The less fat you put, the more closely you should watch to make sure it doesn’t burn. I put the pistachios in after it’s toasted to preserve their bright green color.

6 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup whole raw almonds
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachios
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Mix oats, seeds, coconut, and almonds and salt together in a large bowl.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter with brown sugar and maple syrup. Stir to combine, pour over oat mixture, and mix thoroughly. Divide evenly between two pans and toast for 20 to 30 minutes, switching pans halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool. Add cranberries and pistachios and store in an airtight container.

Sarah Murphy-Kangas blogs at In Praise of Leftovers.

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