A few years ago I was home sick from work with the flu. In my misery, I experienced a brief moment of hope where I emerged from a mountain of covers and kleenex to attempt to boost my spirits in the kitchen. I knew the one thing that would make me feel better was granola. I’ve always loved its heartiness and vibrant, sweet scent when it’s baking. I love that it has 16 times more protein than box cereal so you can enjoy a bit less and feel satisfied a bit more. And I love that it lends itself perfectly to yogurt parfaits. So I mustered the energy to scuttle downstairs to our 1950s-style kitchen on the sunny, chilly winter day that it was and baked up a batch. This is a variation of that original recipe, which I still make today. Bundled in my blankets fashioned as an oversized dress and my furry slippers that many concerned friends have since convinced me to throw away, I stood there in the kitchen with sunlight streaming through the windows and sweet granola scent filling the air. Still groggy from my meds, I managed to have the thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice if I could just stay home and bake granola for people all day?” While that dream hasn’t been completely fulfilled, I am getting closer with my role on Minimalist Baker. So thanks for tagging along and following what we do. You guys are pretty stinking awesome.
I love that I get to play with ingredients in recipes like this one. It’s like I get to be a mad scientist in a sense, but with a pyrex and spatula instead of flask and tongs. To this batch I added pecans, cocoa powder and subbed coconut oil for canola. I was super pleased with the result as it came out smelling like coconut heaven, was just sweet enough, and basically consisted of half nuts half oats – yum.
By the time you read this post this granola is likely gone (#momentofsilence). But it was excellent while it lasted, and you can trust that I’ll be back in the kitchen dreaming up another batch soon – sick day or not.
