Homemade with Love : the best granola.

 A couple of weeks ago there was an e-mail in my inbox from the library that a book I had requested was available and waiting for me. My initial reaction was "oh no, what did I request and forget to cancel?" As I scrolled down the e-mail, I saw that it was the book Homemade with Love by Jennie Perillo. boy was I relieved and picked it up the next day.
Usually when trying out a new cookbook, I'll try my hand at one of the simplest recipes. The recipe of choice: DIY Granola. Super easy and I had all the ingredients in the kitchen (bonus.) Not only was this recipe easy, it was really, really good. There are a lot of granola recipes out there and it's nice that they're simple enough to adapt and make your own. Here's how I made mine:

DIY Granola adapted from Homemade with Love

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3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1Tbsp. flax seeds
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. cardamon

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 cup various nuts: I used sunflower seeds, pepitas, and cashews (all raw and unsalted) and only a little more than 1/2 cup total of nuts.

Dried fruit: I used apricots and cranberries

I also added a little (dried & unsweetened) coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients (except for the dried fruit) together in a large bowl. Combine and whisk together the olive oil and maple syrup in a small bowl. Pour over the dry ingredients and make sure that it's all well coated. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 15min., stir the granola, and bake for another 15minutes. Add dried fruits. Allow granola to cool completely.  Granola will last for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container. Enjoy.

I also added a sprinkle of chocolate sea salt with cayenne after baking. I've made the granola twice so far and will make another batch before returning the book along with a couple of other recipes. Jennie (the author) has an amazing story and a great blog you may want to check out.

xo, jen