Apple-Cinnamon Granola

"Ever since I realized I didn't have to buy granola in a box, I have experimented with different recipes. This is one of my favorites; the granola is great with yogurt or on top of vanilla ice cream." -Corrie Francis, Moraga, CA

Yield: 6 cups (serving size: 1/2 cup)

Ingredients

• 3  cups  regular oats
• 1  cup  whole-grain toasted oat cereal (such as Cheerios)
• 1/3  cup  oat bran
• 1/3  cup  finely chopped walnuts
• 2  teaspoons  ground cinnamon
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground cardamom
• 2  tablespoons  butter
• 1/3  cup  applesauce
• 1/4  cup  honey
• 2  tablespoons  brown sugar
• Cooking spray
• 1  cup  chopped dried apple

Preparation

Preheat oven to 250°.

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well to combine.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/3 cup applesauce, honey, and brown sugar to pan, and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Pour applesauce mixture over oat mixture, stirring to coat. Spread mixture in an even layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 250° for 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Stir in chopped apple.

Note: Store granola in an airtight container up to one week.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

196 (27% from fat)

Fat:

5.8g (sat 1.4g,mono 1.6g,poly 2.2g)

Protein:

4.4g

Carbohydrate:

35g

Fiber:

4g

Cholesterol:

5mg

Iron:

2.2mg

Sodium:

128mg

Calcium:

28mg