ALL THE WONDERFUL fall flavors of apple crisp in your bowl of morning cereal. Apple cider baked into the grains and dried apple bits provide a double dose of apple goodness.
MAKES ABOUT 7 CUPS
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups rolled (old-fashioned) oats
- 1 cup rolled barley or wheat flakes (available in natural food stores)
- 1 cup walnut pieces
- 1 cup hulled sunflower seeds
- 1 cup raw or toasted wheat germ
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1 cup apple cider
- ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup canola or grapeseed oil
- 1 cup finely chopped dried apple pieces
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a large shallow roasting pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, barley, walnuts, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Mix well.
- In a small saucepan, bring the cider to a boil. Continue to boil until it becomes syrupy and its volume is reduced by one-half, about 4 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar and oil. Continue to stir until the sugar is melted.
- Stir the cider mixture into the oat mixture and mix well. Spread out in the pan.
- Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, until the granola is golden, stirring occasionally for even cooking. Do not let the granola get too dark, and stir frequently during the final 15 minutes to prevent scorching the granola at the sides of the pan.
- Transfer to a large bowl to cool completely. Mix in the dried apples.
- Store in an airtight container. This will keep for about 1 month at room temperature or for about 6 months in the refrigerator.
