Cranberry Maple Granola

[Carmella]

I am in luuuuuuuuv!!!

Although I'm not a breakfast person, I thought I'd at least give this recipe a try as Heathy has been raving about it for ages. Wowsers! This granola is just out of this world!!! No doubt to live for with a few berries and some nut milk, but I find I'm really enjoying them on their own as a simple snack.

Now the real question is: "Will there be any left by the time Don and Manu get back!?!"

A MUST try!!!

Cranberry Maple Granola
From Raw Food Real World
Posted by Elizabeth Joy here

Yields 10 cups

1 (- 3) apples cored and chopped
1 ½ cups date paste (dates soaked and then processed until smooth)
½ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons orange zest (or ginger powder)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons sea salt
½ cup sunflower seeds, soaked 2 hours or more
2 cups almonds, soaked 4 hours or more
3 cups pecans, soaked 2 hours or more
1 cup pumpkin seeds soaked 2 hours or more
1 cup dried cranberries or raisins or dried apples

1. In a food processor, place the fresh apples, date paste, maple syrup, lemon juice, orange zest, vanilla, cinnamon, salk and 1/4 of the sunflower seeds and grind until completely smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

2. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds, the almonds, pecans, and pumpkin seeds to the food processor (you don't need to bother rinsing the bowl in between). Coarsely chop the nuts and seeds in a few quick pulses. Add them to the bowl with the apple mixture, add the cranberries and combine well.

3. Spread the granola on a Teflex lined dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 115 degrees for 6 - 8 hours. Flip the granola over onto the screens and peel away the teflex. Continue dehydrating for another 8 to 12 hours, or until the granola is crunchy. Break into pieces and once completely cooled, store in an airtight container. To maintain freshness longer, store the granola in the refrigerator for up to a few weeks.

[misotrue]

I'm known as the crunchy, granola hippie from Vermont. This one is right up my alley, Carmella. Thanks for sharing.

[Carmella]

Oh Misotrue!!! You're gonna love love this one then! I'm no granola fan and I'm desperately hooked! (said she with a tummy full of the stuff! )

[Fairygirl]

Mmmmmm - and Im so glad you finally made it Carmi - I love this stuff! True that I also eat it more often dry as a snack, but it is also wonderful with some almond milk and blueberries...

[sherahtaylor]

Oooh I would LOVE to make this!! But I'm running into the problem of pecans being really spendy. I'm going to buy 1lb for $10 but that is only going to make about 1 batch, if that. Is there a substitute nut that would work, do you think? Or maybe half pecans and half of another nut? Maybe walnuts?

[Carmella]

Sherah,

I'd say go with walnuts or more almonds. Should work!

Enjoy!

[shannsu]

This is the one recipe I can never make enough of. Not that *I* eat that much of it... My HUBBY eats it all! I have to hide it! And he's not even raw!!! No fare!!!

[Fairygirl]

Mmmm Mmmm Mmm! This is on my top recipes of 2008
Got a batch of it in the freezer right now!

[coquito]

Originally Posted by Fairygirl

Mmmm Mmmm Mmm! This is on my top recipes of 2008
Got a batch of it in the freezer right now!

This freezes well? I have loads in the fridge and wondering how long til it goes bad. Seems the nuts would be altered? Thoughts? Experiences

[shannsu]

Can't tell from personal experience (mine disappear before they have a chance to get old), but, the idea behind dehydration is to preserve the food. Now that should significantly extend the lifespan of the said-food. If, furthermore, you put it in the fridge, provided it is sealed (to not absord humidity from the fridge and lose freshness), it should last a very-very long time.

They put nuts on the shelf in stores for months on end. Okay, they turn rancid, but my point is that they keep that way for some time. So dehydrating them and storing in the fridge should extend that time.

Bottom line: you're probably good for several months in the fridge, if well dehydrated. I remember under-dehydrating a batch of nuts and they spoiled (became slimey!!!) within a few months. Make sure the nuts are nice and crunchy if you want to ensure maximum time of conservation.

Hope this helped a little. Maybe others can explain about the freezing of nuts. I never do. Can't help there.

[beccamoon]

mm'mm'mm these look sooooo yummy!!!

i am so in love with breakfast cereal... i drool over a bowl of buckwheaties with raisins, bananas, almond mylk... which is so very plain and simple compared to this recipe! i'm *definitely* going to make these! yum yum! thanks so much for the post!

[green jeanie]

i wish i could eat this stuff with out feeling so chunked out the next day or 2.....it is not the recipe for svelte success for me!!

maybe my liver just needs a few extra years of lovin!

[southerncitygirl]

sounds super yum and above all easy to make. A friend of mine that has been raw since January is letting me have his "D" (miracle dehydrator) cause he's getting a excalibur 9 tray and I plan on getting a food processor in the next month or so. I must try this out. Sometimes I crave cereal and I've been making sesame and brazil nut milk pretty regularly as of late.

[rawlinda sue]

OMG! This is soooo good! Just when I think RAW can't get any better, I try a new recipe and WOW! I am making another batch since the first one is gone already.

[Tess]

This is the best granola recipe I've ever come across. Not a good idea to freeze nuts as this can dry out the oils and make them less flavorful. This granola lasts a long time in the fridge - just put it in a tightly covered Tupperware container.

Do any of you use and like the Raw Food/Real World book? I'm thinking about getting it. How would you compare it to Alissa Cohen's Living on Live Food?

Thanks,
Tess