Last week, as I got myself ready to head to Texas to wait for my nephew to be born, I had a list a mile long. There were deadlines to meet, cooking projects to finish and photograph and a batch of granola to make. I kept hammering away at the list all week and late Sunday night, while I packed for my very early Monday morning flight, I finally got to the granola.
The granola served many purposes. It was so I didn’t show up at my sister’s house empty-handed (though at the last minute, I also threw these Danish into my carry-on). It was to use up the open jar of mixed fruit butter that was in its last days. And it was finally try the fruit butter granola trick that Kaela used last fall (my recipe memory is long).
I slimmed the recipe way down from the original. My fruit butter was spiked with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, so I figured no additional spices were necessary. And since I’d been cleaning out the pantry in preparation for my trip, there wasn’t much in the way of nuts to add. So it was just oats (2 cups), raw pecans (3/4 cup), toasted and salted pepitas (3/4 cup) and 1 cup of that fruit butter.
Stirred together and toasted at 325 degrees for 35 minutes (turned on the baking sheet several times), it is delicious, crisp and not too sweet. I also stirred in half a cup of dried blueberries once the granola was cool. The perfect thing for travel and for breakfasts for very pregnant ladies.
It’s a formula you could use with just about any fruit butter or sauce (applesauce would be terrific) and any nuts you’ve got. If you’ve got unsalted nuts, I’d add a quick sprinkle of sea salt to balance the flavors and bring out the sweetness of the butter.
I just made this granola and had to hide it from myself so that I wouldn’t devour it all.
I took your advice and used what I had on hand–almonds, wheat germ, flax seeds, and dried cranberries along with the oats and apple butter. So easy and so healthful! Many thanks for yet another wonderful inspiration!
What a great, great idea! I have some nectarine fruit butter I made last month that I’d love to try with a granola I make spiked with cardamom. I can’t wait to do it now!
Oooh! You can make it with fruit sauce? I wonder if rhubarb sauce would work? Hmm… rhubarb sauce with rolled oats and toasted slivered almonds and ground cardamom? Or maybe some chopped candied ginger? That would be SO GOOD on ice cream or yogurt with a little extra rhubarb sauce.
Yum. Love that it’s such a simple recipe. Granola always scared me a bit, but now I’ll have to try it. Might even have to make some pureed/smooth applesauce just for this, as I normally like my applesauce chunky. Gives me an excuse to try out the new food mill.
Just writing a post on the Pear Butter you inspired me to make. Came over to get a link for the recipe and here is yet another use for it! What a great idea. You have a wonderful blog and take really fabulous pictures – an inspiration.
Super smart, Marisa. I’m going to make at least one batch this weekend. I’ve got both apple and quince butters that need using up!
Good Morning from *frosty* southern Manitoba! Just found your blog yesterday..lucky me! Glad to be abroad the ‘food in jars’ train! This recipe sounds fab. Will enjoy your updates! Cheers, Valerie.
Yum indeed. A perfect recipe to keep the oven on while getting snowed in today.
Sorry to be a total newbie…
Is the “oats” just raw rolled oats?
Yep, just raw rolled oats. The old fashioned kind are best, stay away from the instant oats.
I made this tonight! I used a home canned jar of sugarless applesauce, and sprinkled on some cinnamon with a tiny bit each of cocoanut, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and raisins. We both loved it, thanks!
Annie, you are so speedy! I’m so glad you like it!
(oh, could i have said “some” a few more times? ha!)
yum! i used some last-legs peach butter to make some near-raw breakfast cookies a few weeks ago: carrot pulp left over from some morning juice, soaked cashews and walnuts, peach butter, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon, blended together and dehydrated. they weren’t quite amazing, but they weren’t bad 🙂
Wow! This sounds great, and much lower in fat than my regular recipe. I can’t wait to try it!
This is so awesome! And so much less work than my usual granola recipe. I’ve got a jar of peach butter in the fridge that will be great here 🙂
I’ve also done this with the addition of brown rice protein powder and some oat bran. So yummy!
Thanks to you and Kaela for this easy granola formula! Granola and muffins are hands-down my two most favorite ways to empty jars! (I just made a batch of muffins this morning that had pear jam and ginger-zucchini jam in them. Yum!)
Great idea! Thanks so much; will be making some tomorrow, I think! (I put all pear and apple cores into the freezer ’til the bag’s full, then turn them into butter…now I have a new destination for them!)
That core idea is awesome! I’ve been feeding them to the goats (which will turn into meat), but making them into butter is a fantastic idea that I’ll have to try next year! Thanks, Lise! (I noticed a lot of exclamation point in this comment. I must be excited !)
Did you add some dried fruit after baking?
You’re so right! I forgot to mention the dried blueberries I stirred in after the granola was done cooking. A half cup of any dried fruit is perfect in this recipe.
Oh my. This looks wonderful. Especially in the bowl with milk and bananas.