Breakfast Granola

First off, I want to thank everyone so much for all of their well wishes. I am feeling much better and am excited to be rejoining the world outside our apartment! All of your cheers really helped and I appreciate everyone taking the time to leave a comment. Now on to my latest and greatest...

I have yogurt, fruit and granola for breakfast almost every morning after my run. It's a hearty enough breakfast that I'm left feeling full until lunch, and also gets in lots of healthy fruit, protein and fiber. I also can't stomach a huge breakfast right after a run, so something light but filling, like this granola, is the perfect start to my day. If you are looking for a healthy breakfast that doesn't feel healthy, please try this combo. No, it's not a stack of pancakes. But when mixed with yogurt, it is sweet, crunchy, creamy and really delicious.

This is my favorite morning granola recipe because it is sweet without any additional sugar and is crunchy without being break-your-teeth hard. The addition of the dried fruit also makes it colorful and adds an extra flavor punch. It's also quick and painless to put together and you won't be left washing dishes for hours afterwards, which means you might actually be inclined to make this every few weeks. It will keep nicely if stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks. You could freeze it as well.

I just saw that Grace, over at A Southern Grace, has posted a little contest for recipes containing cinnamon in them, so I'm sending this her way. The cinnamon in the granola adds a really nice bit of spice and flavor without any additional calories. Be sure to check out her awesome blog and enter a recipe yourself!

Breakfast Granola

Adapted from Domino Magazine - Katie Lee Joel

3 cups Rolled Oats

1/2 cup Unsalted Hulled Sunflower Seeds

1/2 cup Flaked Coconut

1/4 Wheat Germ

1 1/2 cups chopped Unsalted Mixed Nuts (I used pecans, walnuts and almonds)

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter

1/3 cup Pure Maple Syrup

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

2 tablespoons Water

1 cup chopped Mixed Dried Fruit (I used raisins, prunes, strawberries and apricots)

• Preheat oven to 350℉.
• Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl.
• In a small sauce pan, over low heat, melt the butter into the maple syrup.
• Stir vanilla into syrup, and pour over the oat mixture.
• Add water and stir until well combined.
• Spread granola out on a large baking sheet, making sure the edges are not thinner than the middle (the edges will tend to burn if they are too thin).
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring the granola at 8 minute intervals, or until golden brown.
• Allow granola to cool completely in the pan, then stir in the chopped fruit.