Healthy Snack Wednesdays: Granola

We're getting down to the wire for the office weight loss challenge! There are 3 weigh-ins left in the competition.  I won't be taking home the grand prize (the current leader has lost 5% of their body weight!). However I'm happy to report that I'm down 3 pounds from the start of the competition, a healthy rate of weight loss. I've been making an effort to take the 4 flights of stairs up to my office and getting out for a walk at lunchtime. Starting a whole new fitness routine isn't in the schedule, so I've been adding in activity where I can. While school and work are getting busier, it's been harder to squeeze in snack making. So this week I'll share an easy recipe for granola.

Granola packs a nutritional punch - healthy oats, nuts, and dried fruit. But you have to be careful, sometimes the store bought granola contains a lot of calories and fat.  Making it at home is something I have been meaning to try for a while. I wanted a healthy and tasty recipe.  There are a lot of great resources at BU for healthy eating, so I started my recipe search on the Sargent Choice website. I wish that Sargent Choice was around when I was an undergrad at BU! They offer healthy dining options on campus - both in the dining halls and in the student union. They also offer healthy eating resources for students, faculty, and staff.

On the 'What's Cooking' page, I found a recipe for a granola and yogurt parfait and decided to put my spin on the granola. My granola included oats, roasted unsalted pepitas, sliced almonds, and dried cherries. I also added a dash of salt (I like the contrast of a little salty granola with sweet yogurt). The preparation was easy, but you will need a scale to measure the ingredients. Also, I found that mine cooked in much less time than the recipe called for. You'll have to watch the oven to make sure your granola doesn't burn - it can get overcooked in an instant. I'll be mixing this into my favorite yogurts for healthy snacking the rest of the week.

Sargent Choice Granola (minus the parfait)

Adapted from Sargent Choice

5 ounces rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon whole wheat flour

1/4 cup roasted, unsalted pepitas

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I think I added a full teaspoon)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 ounces maple syrup (Grade B)

1/2 ounce honey

1 1/2 teaspoon orange infused olive oil

1/4 teaspoon vanilla (as I typed this, I realized I forgot to include it)

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup dried cherries

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

In a large bowl mix oats, pepitas, almonds, cinnamon and salt

In a separate bowl, whisk together syrup, honey, olive oil, vanilla, and water

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix together with a rubber spatula

Pour the granola mixture onto the baking sheet and spread evenly

Bake, checking every 20 minutes and stirring to ensure even cooking

Mine was done after 40 minutes

Cool completely

Mix with dried fruit

Store in an airtight containers

Summary:
Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes - 2 hours

Mixing bowls, whisk, spatula, baking sheet, parchment paper