Dad’s Granola

There’s something about recipes that have been passed from generation to generation. They carry with them a certain nostalgia and sweet memories with each bite. This recipe is called “Dad’s Granola” because it’s the most fitting title for it - my dad’s recipe which he passed on to me. When I had my first baby, my parents came to stay and help us for about a week. My family’s love language is sharing food, so naturally my dad showed up with this granola in a number of neatly labeled quart Ziploc bags and specific instructions on how to store it so it would last the longest. It was the perfect combination of sweet and salty, nourishing yet indulgent. We ate it constantly in that sleepy, hazy, newborn era (probably standing up or while bouncing a baby) knowing that it would keep us fueled and full. When we ran out, I asked my dad for the recipe, knowing we couldn’t ever go back to store-bought again. I have been making it every two weeks ever since. It’s not a recipe that I grew up with, and my great great great great grandparents didn’t cross the Mississippi with it or anything, but this granola reminds me of my dad caring for me while I learned how to care for my own son as a new parent.

I hope you’ll like it, and please let me know if you try it! Our favorite way to enjoy it is with plain Greek yogurt and lots of fresh berries.

DAD’S GRANOLA

8 cups (712 g) rolled oats

3 cups raw nuts or seeds - weight varies by nut (we use pumpkin seeds & pecans)

1 1/2 cup (about 225 g) dried fruit (golden raisins & dried cranberries)

1 cup (226 g) coconut oil, melted

1 cup (336 g) honey

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Begin by preheating the oven to 350 F. Mix the oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, salt and cinnamon. Pour the oil and honey over the mixture, then the vanilla. Give everything a good stir, and spread in a thin layer over two half sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Bake until lightly golden, 20-24 minutes, stirring halfway through.