Homemade Granola with Coconut, Walnuts, and Dried Cranberries

 

Easy To Make Granola

Now that the school year has begun, I've been making tons of some-what healthy snacks to take with me to school. In between classes--when students aren't hounding me--I like to stuff my face with yummy energy snacks.

I'm not really sure that this homemade granola with coconut and cranberries is "healthy". In fact, I'm pretty sure it's not, given all the honey and oil. I do know that it's delicious and super easy to make though.

Ingredients

* 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
* 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
* 2 cups chopped walnuts
* 3/4 cup vegetable oil
* 1/2 cup good honey
* 2 cups dried sweetened cranberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss the oats, coconut, and walnuts together in a large bowl. Whisk together the oil and honey in a small bowl. Pour the liquids over the oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated. Pour onto a 13 by 18 by 1-inch sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even, golden brown, about 45 minutes.

Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Add the cranberries. Store the cooled granola in an airtight container.

Modified from the Barefoot Contessa

Almonds Toasted With Garlic-Rosemary Olive Oil

Toasted almonds are one of my favorite snacks. I made this delicious version using garlic-rosemary infused olive oil and they came out really good. I've been trying to incorporate more small, healthy snacks into my diet and these almonds really fit the bill. After making them I realized that they would also make great party snacks! I mean, who doesn't like flavored toasted almonds?!


Recipe...

Ingredients

4 cups raw almonds
2 whole garlic cloves, slightly crushed
1 tablespoon roughly chopped rosemary
1/2 cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

Place the garlic, rosemary, cayenne pepper and oil in a sauce pan and heat on low/medium heat for five minutes. Strain oil into bowl removing all left over garlic and rosemary. Add raw almonds and salt to the bowl and toss with oil. With a slotted spoon remove almonds and place on a sheet pan in a single layer, straining most of the oil. Sprinkle with a tad bit more salt and place in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until the house starts to smell like yummy garlic almonds.