Orange Pecan Granola

Name: Orange Pecan Granola
Yield: makes 10 cups
Ingredients: 6 cups regular rolled oats (not quick cooking); 1 cup oat bran; 1 cup ground flax meal; 1 cup almond meal (ground raw almonds); 1/4 cup sesame seeds; 1 3/4 cups unsweetened applesauce; 1 cup light agave nectar (or 1 1/3 cups for sweeter granola); 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 1 tablespoon orange extract; 2 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon cloves; 1 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated; 1/2 teaspoon sea salt; 1/4 cup canola oil; 1 cup currants or raisins; 1 1/2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped (try other nuts for variety)

December 9, 2011

I first made this delicious, super-crunchy granola while consulting for Edge of the Woods, a great natural foods market, bakery, and vegetarian café in New Haven, Connecticut. At the time, I was developing lots of agave nectar desserts and goodies for diabetics and clients concerned with sugar when it occurred to me that there were no good-tasting, sugar-free granolas available. Hence the birth of Orange Pecan Granola, a staple in our household! Great on its own as a snack, or sprinkle it over yogurt, fresh fruit, or even frozen yogurt for dessert.

Recipe information

Yield
makes 10 cups

Ingredients

6 cups regular rolled oats (not quick cooking)

1 cup oat bran

1 cup ground flax meal

1 cup almond meal (ground raw almonds)

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1 3/4 cups unsweetened applesauce

1 cup light agave nectar (or 1 1/3 cups for sweeter granola)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon orange extract

2 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup canola oil

1 cup currants or raisins

1 1/2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped (try other nuts for variety)

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat oven to 300°F.
Step 2
Combine all ingredients except pecans and mix well. Add pecans and mix again. Spread mixture evenly on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake until slightly golden—about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven, stir in currants, and let cool. Stored in an airtight container the granola should keep for approximately 2 months.

Reprinted with permission from Baking with Agave Nectar: Over 100 Recipes Using Nature's Ultimate Sweetener by Ania Catalano. Copyright © 2008 by Ania Catalano; photography © 2008 by Lara Hata. Published by Celestial Arts, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York. Ania Catalano is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet School of Cooking in New York and the owner of the Gourmet Whole Foods Catering and Cooking School in Milford, Connecticut.

Recipe information

Ingredients

Preparation

Step 1

Step 2

Recipe notes