Applesauce Granola

Recipe For Applesauce Granola

Source: Adapted and modified from Feast, Nigella Lawson and David Lebovitz

Yield: 500g (1 pound)

Ingredients:
225g (2½ cups) rolled oats
300g raw nuts and seeds (note 1)
50g light brown sugar
40g maple syrup (brown rice syrup, malt rice syrup or golden syrup)
30g clover honey (or other runny honey)
100g unsweetened applesauce (apple compote or other fruit puree) (note 2)
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon coconut oil (sunflower oil, olive oil or vegetable oil)
100g dried fruits, more or less (optional)

Methods:

1. Prepare homemade applesauce – peel and core an apple (about 160g). Dice into cubes. Put the cubes into a small saucepan and add water until they are fully covered. Bring water to a boil and then simmer until the apple is softened and the liquid is cooked off. Use a potato masher to crush the apples into puree. Set aside 100g.
2. Preheat oven to 150C° (300F).
3. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, nuts, seeds and brown sugar.
4. In a small saucepan (or use the same saucepan in step (1)), combine the applesauce, syrup, oil and sea salt. Gently warm them up. Pour the fruit mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until everything is well coated.
5. Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the mixture evenly onto it.
6. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the granola is deep golden brown. Stirring every 10 minutes and rotating the pan once or twice to ensure the mixture achieving even browning.
7. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely. The granola may still be sticky when it is out from the oven. It will become crispier and crunchier as it cools.
8. Once the granola has completely cooled, mix with dried fruits. Store in an airtight container. It will keep for 2-3 weeks.

Notes:

1. I used 120 grams pecans, 80 grams almonds (coarsely chopped), 50 grams sunflower seeds and 50 grams pumpkin seeds. Feel free to use combination and variety of seeds and nuts of that you like best.
2. You can use either homemade or store bought applesauce as long as they are unsweetened.
3. Eat with milk, soy milk, plain yogurt or on its own (as snack).