Feelin' Crunchy: Cranberry Nut Granola

I tend to be a creature of habit. Almost every morning for breakfast I have yogurt, granola and berries. One of my favorite granolas is from Bartlett’s Farm in Nantucket, because it’s filled with dried cranberries, it’s crunchy, and it has the perfect amount of sweetness.  Luckily, I recently stumbled upon this granola recipe by Giada De Laurentiis, which is filled with dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and salted almonds.

This granola makes for a perfect breakfast, whether you serve it with yogurt, milk, fresh fruit, or just eat it plain. If you’re feeling extra creative, place granola in a mason jar, add a ribbon and attach a label for a cute gift for a relative or neighbor.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Nonstick cooking spray

1/3 cup maple syrup

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cranberry juice

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped roasted and salted almonds

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spread the pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly toasted. Set aside to cool.
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
4. In a small saucepan, combine the maple syrup, brown sugar, cranberry juice, and cinnamon over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved.
5. In a medium bowl, mix together the oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and salt.
6. Pour the maple mixture over the oat mixture and stir until combined. Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Stir in the cranberries and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the mixture begins to brown. Cool completely. Store airtight in a plastic container for up to 1 week.