Maple Nut Granola

Oh Ohio. Cold, cloudy, wet, snowy Ohio. It's April. Don’t you know this means Spring? On days like this, as I sit at my computer gazing longingly at the sky, hoping for some sun and some diversion from the monotony of resume submissions and the never-ending grayness, the kitchen calls. What better way to brighten the day than something sweet. Something crunchy. Something that will sustain you through this gray day and the inevitable gray days to come. That something, my friends, is granola.

Maple Nut Granola to be exact. It’s easy, quick, and oh so delicious.

The star of this granola: Homemade Maple Syrup!

Maple Nut Granola

Ingredients:

3 cups Rolled Oats

2 cups nuts of your choice (my favorite combo is 1 cup sliced almonds, ½ cup crushed walnuts, ½ cup crushed pecans)

¼ cup + 2 TBP real maple syrup (none of that cloyingly thick fake stuff here)

¼ cup canola oil

¾ tsp. salt

1 cup raisins

Directions:
 

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts and brown sugar. In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil and salt. Pour the syrup mixture onto the oats mixture and stir.

Pour and spread onto baking sheet.

Caution: delicious aroma will cause mouth to water.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and add raisins. 

 Bon Appetit! This is a great snack to munch on by itself, or throw it on top of some greek yogurt or vanilla bean ice cream for a richer treat!