If you’re my friend, have worked with me, or have just been in my general vicinity for a reasonable amount of time, you have probably eaten some of my granola. It’s my go-to thank you gift host/hostess present, or ‘just cause’ token.

An all-around crowd pleaser, this granola is healthyish, gluten free, and vegetarian/vegan, so inoffensive to most dietary patterns. It spruces up someones’ morning breakfast routine without making them feel heavy like a cookie or cake might, so it’s always appreciated

On another note, this granola is uber-addictive and has been known to be referred to as “crack”, so if you want to eat it by handfuls out of the container that is also an acceptable option. My favourite way to eat it is with some Greek yogurt and fruit like in the photo above.

Hot Tips For Granola

1. Go Low and Slow. Granola goes from  golden to burnt in a hot minute, so a low oven is key for getting crisp granola that is cooked through in the centre but not overcooked on the edges. If it still seems a little soft, don’t worry! It will firm up as it cools.

2. Don’t stir! It may seem instinctual to stir the granola during cooking, but resist! By leaving it alone you get a giant bark-like piece that you can break up once it’s cooled to make perfect granola clusters.

3. Don’t skip the salt. I use a healthy amount of salt here which helps this granola strike a perfect sweet-salty balance. If you don’t have kosher or sea salt on hand you can use ¼ tsp of table salt.  

Try it and let me know what you think!

Maple-Olive Oil Granola

3 cups of large-flake rolled oats

1 cups of puffed brown rice cereal or rice krispies

1 cup hulled, unsalted sunflower seeds

1 cup of hulled, unsalted pumpkin seeds

1 cup of coconut chips

1 1/2  cups pecan halves, broken into smaller pieces

3 tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp kosher or sea salt

½ cup olive oil

½ cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 325 F ( convection setting works best). Line one large baking sheet (or two smaller sheets) with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients. In a liquid measuring cup whisk together maple syrup, olive oil and vanilla and pour over dry ingredients. Mix well to combine, making sure all of dry ingredients are coated with the maple-olive oil mixture

3. Spread mixture in an even layer on parchment-lined baking sheets. If your baking sheets are small, divide the mixture between the two of them. Bake for 30-35 minutes, rotating sheet(s) halfway through, until granola is golden and crisp.

4. Allow granola to cool completely on baking sheet, before breaking into chunks. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.