Mari's Secret Holy Grail Granola
Recipe & Food Styling Mari Loewen, Photography Ross Cornish
I created this granola recipe after years of testing variations. It’s the one I make for when guests arrive at my home, or as a hostess gift, packed into clear pantry jars with a ribbon and a note. Everyone loves it.
This is the best granola recipe you will ever try—provided you follow a few important steps. Start with very best-quality ingredients, and fresh, raw nuts, never stale or previously roasted. Roast and grind your own cardamom pods for the deepest flavour, and use whole nutmeg, freshly grated on a microplane (you can, of course, use store-bought ground spices, but there is quite a big difference).
The combination of toasted nuts, warm cardamom, fresh nutmeg, and sweet coconut takes this granola completely over the top.
The secret? You can also find a slight variation of it at a gourmet grocery store in Toronto where 500+ jars are sold every month—if you know, you know!
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups quick oats
2 1/2 cups large oats
½ cup raw pecans, chopped
½ cup raw walnuts, chopped
½ cup raw Brazil nuts, chopped
1 cup raw almonds, chopped
½ cup raw sunflower seeds
½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
½ cup coconut oil
½ cup honey
1 teaspoon good vanilla ( I use Mexican)
1 teaspoon ground cardamom (pods toasted, ground, and sifted)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (whole nutmeg ground on microplane)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 ½ cups Medjool dates, chopped
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment.
In large bowl combine oats, nuts, and seeds. In another bowl whisk together coconut oil, honey, vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Pour over oat mixture, mix well, and spread onto baking sheet, pressing lightly and keeping it slightly compact so the granola forms clusters as it bakes.
Bake, turning pan occasionally, until light golden brown, 15–20 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle lightly with additional sea salt, and allow granola to cool on pan without disturbing, about 20 minutes. Break into pieces, add coconut and dates, and toss gently. Makes about 6 cups.
Note: Instead of chopping nuts, I place them all in a large ziplock bag and pound gently with a mallet. Store granola in airtight container up to 2 weeks, or in freezer bag in freezer for several months.
