Almond, Coconut and Cranberry Granola

In a land far, far away and many moons ago, it was the 1970s in Marin County, California. My mother was a stay at home mom and was really into cooking and baking for her family. I remember coming home from school several times each week to find some sort of treat that had been prepared that day by my mother. One of the distinctive treasures that I remember was her granola. The caramelized oats and toasted almonds provided a delicious and nutritious snack for a school girl in the afternoon. I was so intrigued by the cooking process, that fairly soon I had taken over the duties of making the granola, tweaking it as I went along. What I love about granola is that you can try out different combinations of nuts, seeds and dried fruit to come up with your favorite combo. Here is my current favorite.

Note: This granola is not as sweet as you might be used to. My mother's recipe called for honey but I like the flavor that the dark agave syrup provides. This granola is wonderful served for breakfast over Greek yogurt and blueberries but would also be a fabulous topper for some ice cream.

Almond, Coconut and Cranberry Granola
Makes 5 ½ cups

1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
½ stick butter
¼ cup agave syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup sliced almonds
¼ cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup dark raisins
¼ cup golden raisins

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle the coconut in a single layer on the parchment paper and toast just until some of the edges of the coconut begin to color but the coconut is still mostly white, 10 to 15 minutes (timing will vary depending on how finely the coconut is shredded). Remove and set aside to cool (leave the parchment paper on the baking sheet).

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in the agave syrup, vanilla and salt and stir until salt has melted. Place oats, almonds and sesame seeds into a large bowl. Pour butter mixture over the oats and stir to combine. Add the brown sugar and stir gently until everything is completely combined. Transfer the granola to the parchment-lined baking sheet, breaking up any clumps so the granola is spread out in a single layer.

Toast the granola, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes, until the mixture is golden brown, about 60 minutes. Remove the tray and set aside to cool. Once cool, toss the granola with the toasted coconut, cranberries and raisins, stirring well to combine. Cool completely before transferring into a storage container.

For those watching their carbs for health reasons, a serving (1/4 cup) of this granola has 19 grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of fiber.

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