Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. Unfortunately I'm rarely up early enough, and never coherent enough, to make great weekday breakfasts. If I'm being really honest, most of our weekday breakfasts consist of muffins or waffles pulled from the freezer and hastily reheated.
On the weekends, I have more time to put things together and we can enjoy a Zucchini Quiche or my favorite Breakfast Fruit Crisp. But the kids have started to notice the weekday vs. weekend meal disparity. "Muffins. Not again!" they've been moaning on recent mornings. So, I've decided to step it up, just a little bit.
This Chunky Apple Pie Granola has been the perfect solution to our weekday breakfast slump. I can make it on the weekend and then store it in airtight jars for our crazy breakfast scramble all week long. The kids and I like it plain, with milk or almond milk, or even sprinkled on top of plain yogurt or applesauce. I'm feeling a lot better about breakfasts now, and so are the kids!
Chunky Apple Pie Granola
Ingredients
5 cups rolled oats
2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped
⅓ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
¾ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons vanilla
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
⅓ cup applesauce
½ cup coconut or vegetable oil, room temperature
2 cups dried apples
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine nuts and oats and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except dried apples. Whisk until smooth and well combined. Pour liquid mixture over oats and stir well, making sure oat mixture is evenly coated.
Pour mixture onto parchment lined baking sheet. Using a spatula, press granola into the pan. Make sure granola is pressed tightly and evenly into the baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 40 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Rotate pan halfway through baking time. For chunky granola, do not stir. Cool well on a wire baking rack. When cooled, break into chunks as desired and add 2 cups dried apples. Store in airtight container for up to a week. Makes approximately 10 cups.
What are you eating for breakfast these days?
[…] a big batch at the beginning of the week and store it in mason jars. Some of our favorites are: Chunky Apple Pie Granola, Chai Spiced Sweet Potato Granola, and Chunky Tropical […]