Cherry Pistachio Granola
In this crazy world of prepackaged goods, homemade food means knowing and controlling what is in the food and how much of each ingredient you are adding and then consuming. Specifically, store bought granola is often sneakily packed with sugar and lacks the appropriate amount of protein and fiber to act as a nutritious snack, which is where my delicious granola comes into play. I especially love my addition of quinoa because the seeds add a slew of essential amino acids plus protein, iron and fiber, and quinoa has a different texture all together from the rolled oats. The recipe is simple and can be eaten as a snack, cereal, topping to a smoothie bowl, or mixed into your yogurt!
Total time: 45 minutes Yield: About 8 cups
Ingredients
3 cups of rolled oats
1 cup of uncooked white quinoa
1 cup of coarsely chopped almonds
¾ cup coarsely chopped pistachios
1 cup of pepitas
½ cup finely chopped dried unsweetened cherries
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ cup of cranberry syrup (1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 water, 1/2 frozen cranberries. In a medium saucepan, bring to a boil then let cool. Strain.)
2 tbsp maple syrup
½ tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup olive oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 300F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick foil.
In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients except for the dried cherries. Add in the wet ingredients and stir to combine.
Turn the mixture out onto the baking sheet and spread evenly.
Bake until lightly toasted and golden, stirring every 10-15 minutes, for 30-35 minutes. Let cool. Add in the cranberries. Store in an airtight container for 1-3 weeks.