Molasses-Almond Granola

Packed with heart-healthy fats from almonds and canola oil, this tasty mix is nice with fat-free yogurt. On its own, it's also a prime midmorning snack. Subdivide the batch into individual servings so it's ready when you are.

Yield: 3 cups (serving size: 1/3 cup)

Ingredients

• 2  cups  regular oats
• 1/2  cup  sliced almonds
• 2  tablespoons  wheat germ
• 1/2  teaspoon  sea salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1/3  cup  dried currants
• Cooking spray
• 1/4  cup  dried cranberries
• 2  tablespoons  sugar
• 5  tablespoons  molasses
• 3  tablespoons  canola oil
• 1 1/4  teaspoons  vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°.

2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarsely chopped. Combine oat mixture, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; toss well. Spread oat mixture on a baking sheet; bake at 325° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Remove mixture from baking sheet; stir in currants.

3. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper; coat paper with cooking spray. Combine cranberries, sugar, molasses, canola oil, and vanilla extract in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook 4 minutes or until sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Pour the cranberry mixture over the oat mixture, tossing to coat. Spread the granola evenly on prepared baking sheet. Bake at 325° for 15 minutes or until the mixture is lightly browned. Remove granola from oven, and cool completely. Break into small pieces. Store granola in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

214

Fat:

8.8g (sat 0.8g,mono 4.8g,poly 2.4g)

Protein:

4.5g

Carbohydrate:

31.4g

Fiber:

2.9g

Cholesterol:

0.0mg

Iron:

1.7mg

Sodium:

133mg

Calcium:

53mg