I shall be brief today..
As I draw up this post.. the ambrosial aroma of
baking red orbs pervades my kitchen..
salaciously assaults my senses
and entices my hunger…
Only..
it isn’t apple pie, it’s something much more salubrious..
quite simply.. it’s
“The Best Granola”
I’ve ever made..
While I’m quite fond of the many varieties of granola that have blossomed in Smidge’s kitchen (“Smidge’s Granola”, and 3 Flavors of Granola)
I must defer to this new mountainous mélange.
Yes, Smidge has been bested by the best of ’em!
Might I introduce to you..
David Lebovitz?
Yes, The reknowned Pastry Chef and Author, David Lebovitz, who, as we speak, er write, is living the sweet life..
in Paris, France.
{ He just… like.. took off and moved there, lock, stock and cookbook. }
If you haven’t read “The Sweet Life in Paris”, you simply must!
I plan to meet up with David, preferably at “La Garde Robe” where we’ll feast on a board of charcuterie and fromage, swished down with an exorbitant amount of French Bordeaux and conversation whereupon he will divulge all of his pastry secrets to me. Of course, I shall share a few of my Brushed Embroidery Cookies in return..
He just doesn’t know it yet.
{ A girl can dream, can’t she? }
Well.. at least I can stalk him follow him on Pinterest!
♥
I’ve bastardized veganized his recipe for those out there who can’t stand cruelty to animals
or.. bees
{ think honey, which I happen to love.. }
♥
- 5 cups oats (quick)
- 3 cups almonds
- 1 3/4 cups sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp dried ground ginger
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup organic blue agave syrup (or.. honey)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Mix the first 7 ingredients together in the largest bowl you have. I like to use my hands to blend and crush any brown sugar lumps between your finger tips.
- In a medium saucepan, stir together the next four ingredients and heat gently until warmed through.
- Pour the liquid mixture over the draw and stir for quite a while until all of the ingredients are well blended. The granola should eventually begin to clump in the bowl. Inhale deeply, the fragrance of cinnamon and apple will warm your heart.
- Scrape the unbaked granola into a greased or lightly sprayed roasting pan or onto two cookies sheets, similarly prepared.
- Bake for 40 minutes in total, stopping every 10 minutes to stir (or the top will burn and the underneath won’t be browned). Your granola is finished when it is as toasted as you like. (I prefer my granola a little less crunchy so I take it out of the oven early.)
- Makes 9-10 cups of granola.
p.s. On a side note.. you’ll see my blog has changed yet again. It wasn’t done on a whim, but a necessary step should I wish to become self-hosted. (Although, I’m sure Viveka from “myguiltypleasures” would approve of the new color choices!)
p.p.s. I’ve got some exciting changes coming in about 3-4 weeks, a new header is going to be drawn for me by a lovely graphic artist I discovered while perusing the web.. and, of course, more recipes and DIY crafts as always!
p.p.p.s. I’m off to catch up on my blog reading, all this technical stuff has been daunting! But this first step went without much of a hitch, thankfully! xx Smidge
♥
Ha! I just posted a vegan gluten-free granola recipe today too! Mine has similar ingredients but without applesauce. It sounds delicious with the applesauce. That’s a great recipe you found! I’m obsessed with granola..I’ll try this next time!!
Well it sure looks delicious Barbara. I look forward to hearing about your Paris adventures with David 🙂
Sounds wonderful – however, the curmudgeon in me has an allergy to the sudden 21st century outbreak of food intolerance and allergy when so much of the world suffers extreme hunger.
This looks heavenly my friend I could dive right into it 😀
For breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Looking forward to your new header 🙂
Cheers
CCU
He absolutely must invite you to dinner! What a great looking granola with wonderful ingredients. There’s nothing better than making your own xx
That granola seems to have brought out your flamboyant side Smidge. Love David and his book. Must try this based on your recommendation!
It’s so satisfying eating your own granola – and you can customise it to exactly how you like it. Yours looks so good !
Yum, I’m definitely trying this! Thanks for bringing such beautiful deliciousness into the world with your lovely blog. Can’t wait to see what’s in store next :).
Oooo yummy Smidge! This sounds fabulous! I hope your daughter liked it 😉
She did, she’s not vegan, but gluten-free.. at least as much as she can:)
Looks delicious! 🙂
xo
The granola sounds delightful Smidge! I’m eager to see the changes that are coming to your blog, although it’s so lovely already it’s hard to imagine what you could do to improve upon it. I follow David’s blog but I haven’t read his books yet. They’re on the reading list for my convalescence!
How are you doing, Mar? I just can’t get over that you’ve had this happen.. it’s hard on everyone, but for those of us who type and blog, it’s doubly tough!
I’m still a bit shocked too, Barb! Fortunately I’ve discovered an excellent voice dictation function on my Apple laptop (which I just got for my birthday in January and is proving to be a godsend). That’s really helping me continue to be able to keep in touch and also do some writing (While lying on the couch and keeping my left arm elevated; sitting at my desk would be quite difficult right at the moment).
Now isn’t that a handy function? It might even help a blogger catch up on her reading:) Take care of yourself!! xx
Mmm, yummy granola! Love the flavor mix in this one, though I would have to put butter on mine. 🙂 Look forward to seeing the changes you have planned and yes, the technical stuff can be daunting, especially when all you really want to do is make some granola. 😉
haha we all seem to be on the granola wavelength recently, Smidge! I used maple syrup & coconut oil in mine, and I adore the flavor combinations you ahve going on here. xx
I was thinking of coconut oil but for went with Agave because I seem to have acquired too much of it, lol. I think coconut would be wonderful. ‘Tis granola season, for sure! xx
!!!!! Needed this! I love granola, but my recipe…well I’m tired of it. I am crazy about the flavors in this, thanks so much!
I love David’s book, it’s perfect in every way. Like his blog. Like his ice cream book. 🙂 I’m a big fan of his for sure 🙂
Like everything he makes.. I’m so envious of any one who just does what he did! Some day when we’re both retired, we’ll live in Paris, for at least a month:)
And eat our way through the month…..right? 😉
What a fabulous dream!
This sounds yummy! Thanks, Smidge. Good luck with your change-over. 🙂
Thanks, Robin, it won’t be for a while yet. xx
Granola’s not my kind of thing, but it sounds like a good recipe 🙂
I’m a bit of a hippy that way:D
Ha ha – I didn’t mean anything like that, I just don’t eat breakfast 😉
Gosh, Barbara… I wish I had seen this yesterday! You know, this Brazilian is locked at home due to a snowstorm, we cannot go anywhere, so we did some grocery shopping yesterday after work, and like most people in town, we now sit at home and watch the heavy snow fall. I don’t have the ingredients to make this (I have oats, but not enough almonds, no seeds). Too bad… it would be a perfect day to bake a batch (sigh)
Oh, dear.. at least you have a little souffle to delight in:) I hope you’re not snowed in for long. Will you miss work?
🙂 well that souffle was made a couple of weeks ago, I tend to write posts and schedule publication for later. Yes, we cannot go to work. University closed today it is too dangerous to try and drive. I hope I can get to the lab tomorrow, though.
I’m a bad vegan, I eat honey! I loveee honey. This granola looks delicious!
Believe it or not, even after all of your gorgeous granola recipes, I still haven’t made it! My fear is that we’ll (read I’ll) devour it before it has time to cool and be put into storage. And even if some sneak into the container, it would grow a voice and call my name relentlessly like that damn ice cream does! Your blog is beautiful, Barbara!
This recipe comes at the perfect time. I wanted to try to make different flavors of granola or possibly my own bars. I will definitely try out this recipe.
This looks hearty and delicious!
Ambrosial aromas, salaciously assaulting the senses! Such wizardly ways with words you have dear Smidge! As delightful a post this was (is) I’m left a tad lugubrious, Eeyoreish in fact that search up and down as often as I had the patience to do, I couldn’t locate those red orbs, the aroma of which pervaded your kitchen. 🙂 xxx
Oh.. It was the scent of apples baking from the applesauce in the recipe:) hugs!
Sent from my iPhone
Oh THOSE red orbs! 🙂 xx
My daughter loves granola and yours have all her favorite items in it, making a big batch for her.
I haven’t yet tried the applesauce in granola maneuver, but I have seen it several times now. I’ll try it one of these days…
Sounds excellent! 😀
LOL! I will join you in France for your dinner date!
I loved Davids book and I have all the ingredients in my pantry to make his granola, I just haven’t got around to it yet. So pleased it is a winner, I am inspired again to try the recipe.
love the new changes on your blog!looking forward to see your new header!
You already had some great granola recipes posted the last time! but it’s great that you have a new one, a gluten free vegan one to share with all your vegan readers, I’m sure they will appreciate it!
Homemade granola is always best! I’m sure you’ll be enjoying this one.
Yummy and GF!! Looking forward to seeing the changes. All the best!
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes! For a quick post you sure did cover a lot of ground. I’m not much of a breakfast kinda guy but your granola sounds like a great snack. I have Lebovitz’s “Perfect Scoop”. Like I need an ice cream book! Good luck with all of the modifications needed to self-host and I can’t wait to see the new and improved Smidge!
I love granola, and have only made my own on a couple of different occasions. I’d love to try this recipe. I like to take my granola and put it in my plain yogurt, and this would compliment that well! I can’t wait to see what you’ve come up with for a new look to your your header. I have always thought your blog is beautiful, so I can’t wait to see what it will be like now! Thanks to you I’m now following Lebovitz’s Pinterest boards. I’lll look forward to getting to know him! 🙂
Veganized or straight up I never turn down granola. 🙂
Hope you’re having a great weekend!!
There are so many good granola recipes out there…I feel like I’ve got to try them all! ;-). I can’t wait to see what’s coming on your site (although I love this current version of just a smidgen), especially your new header.
Hope your weekend is off to a great start!! I’m spending some time this morning catching up here…
Good luck taking things to the next level, my friend.
This looks delicious; especially with applesauce! I definitely will try this recipe!
Barbara could I tempt you to try a sugar/ oat vegan/gluten free version of granola that I’ve been playing with at the moment? Sprouted buckwheat is the clincher and it really is the bees knees…although no bees knees were harmed. Granola of any sort is an absolute favourite round these parts.
You sure could! It’s always great to experiment, is the recipe on your blog? xx
This granola looks delicious. Applesauce can help to keep it healthy without added sugars. Thanks for sharing.
cook time…40 hr?
Oh, dear.. glad you caught this, Allana. This was one of my first times using the widget Recipe Card.. and the hours/minutes show up differently. So I’m currently leaving time to bake in the Instructions section. I’ve updated this now thanks so much for letting me know:D