Maple Cinnamon Granola via #CooksNetwork

                                   

I've been invited by the lovely folks at Williams Sonoma's Cooks Network to share a favorite February recipe with my readers and this granola is it! For me granola has to have texture, variety, and a touch of cinnamon without being too sweet. Many granola recipes use so much oil and/or sugar that it defies the 'health' factor completely. Here the light sweetness comes from real maple syrup infused with fresh blueberries... Yum.

This granola is right up there with my favorites of all time - Urth Caffe's in LA and Jo's in Austin. What's your favorite granola?

Maple Cinnamon Granola
* Makes a large amount but will last for a month in a tightly sealed container and/or can be frozen.

4 cups old fashioned oats
2 teaspoons flax seeds
4 teaspoons wheat germ
1 1/12 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
3/4-1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup blueberry maple syrup (gently heat 1 cup of real maple syrup with 1/2 cup of blueberries in a small pan over a low flame on the stove for 12 minutes or until blueberries have begun to burst and turn the syrup a blue tint)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 300. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until well combined. Make sure there are no big clumps of coconut.

Spread out onto two large oiled baking sheets. Bake the granola - one sheet at a time (trust me on this - otherwise one will burn) on the middle rack turning the granola every ten minutes until granola is just very lightly toasted - about 30 minutes total. You don't want it to get too golden brown or the blueberries will become like rocks once it cools.

Let cool completely before transferring to an airtight container.

* This post is a collaboration with Williams-Sonoma, but all words and opinions are my own.