Come Hither Granola

Yes. A headline that tries to make granola sound sexy

Maple Orange Granola.

C’mon, that sounds a little alluring, right?

No? Then explain to me why I made a giant batch of granola this week, along with 3 different varieties of cookies (recipes coming soon!) and the snack I kept reaching for was? The snack that called to me wherever I was in the house? That beckoned me to it whenever I was near?

Ok, I get it, it’s **just** granola, but darn it, it’s special.

I don’t suppose Cluster F*ck would be a nice name for a cereal?

It’s maple-sugaring season, which for a gal like me who adores maple syrup in all its forms, is a time to celebrate. I have dreams of seeing lemurs in Madagascar, of experiencing the Northern Lights in Norway and going on safari in Botswana. But I also want to spend a week in a sugaring hut in Quebec during maple-sugaring season.

This is a long-winded way of saying I really like maple syrup. Today is maple granola, and this weekend I’ll send you a recipe for maple snickerdoodles that are quite dreamy.

Maple Orange Granola

makes about 10 cups (which seems like a lot, until you start eating and eating it)

What You’ll Need:

4 cups (324 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup (71 grams) unsweetened shredded coconut

1 cup shelled pistachios (125 grams), roughly chopped (I used lightly salted ones)

1 cup (119 grams) raw pumpkin seeds

1 cup (108 grams) raw slivered almonds

1 cup pecans (100 grams), roughly chopped

Zest of 2 oranges

1 cup pure maple syrup (Grade B is best because it has the most flavor, but Grade A will do!)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon of salt (or to taste)

1 cup (130 grams) dried cranberries

What You’ll Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. I use a half-sheet pan, which measures about 18 x 13 inches.

2. In a large bowl, mix the oats, shredded coconut, pistachio nuts, pumpkin seeds, almonds, pecans, orange zest, maple syrup, olive oil and salt until well-blended.

3. Scrape the mixture onto the pan and smooth to create an even layer. Bake the granola, stirring the mixture every 15 minutes or so, until the granola is toasty brown, about 50 to 60 minutes.

4. Remove from the oven and immediately mix in the dried cranberries. Let the granola cool on the pan. Once fully cool, store in an airtight container.

Need another reason to make your own granola? Read the horrifying tales of immigrant child labor the New York Times uncovered, including a 15-year-old girl who works on the line at the Cheerios factory.

Podcast note: This week I spoke with CNBC analyst and financial journalist Ron Insana about the economy. It was a very interesting conversation. It will post on Saturday. Subscribe to The Secret Life of Cookies Podcast so you don’t miss any episodes.

And watch this space for maple snickerdoodles, coming to a substack near you this Saturday!