Hey there, friends! What have you been up to? I’ve been spending a lot of time staring at walls and open closets while imagining what they’ll look like when I can finally get around to working on them. I’ve been doing more productive things too—like dreaming of weather that will allow me to start working on some outdoor projects and enjoying an Ikea adventure. Ok, maybe I haven’t been too productive lately. I can’t be too hard on myself though! I’ve been keeping my family fed, my house relatively tidy, and I’ve been helping out at my son’s school…so not totally unproductive.

Speaking of feeding my family…I’m on a constant quest to find a variety of healthy-ish and easy snacks. It’s hard to find snacks that we all enjoy that aren’t loaded with too much salt or sugar. My solution for this is to read tons of labels at the grocery store, get frustrated by the ingredients, then vow to make everything from scratch. No, I don’t actually make everything from scratch, but it’s nice to have a few go-tos in my pocket for days when I do have time. Today I’m sharing one of our faves with you. Granola. Maple Olive Oil Granola.

This recipe is adapted from several different recipes I’ve tried over the years and it’s morphed into my go to standard. I vary it based on my mood or what I have in the pantry. Pistachios are a delicious replacement for the pecans, you could add a 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds, or you could change up the dried fruit (dried cherries would be yummy). Basically, it’s a really forgiving recipe that is quite adaptable. I really love the maple and olive oil together…it makes your kitchen smell ahhh-mazing!!!

Maple Olive Oil Granola

  • 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup pecan halves or pieces
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup (no fake stuff)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • a pinch of nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (I usually use less—just a pinch)
  • 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Combine oats, pecans, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. Mix well so everything is nicely coated. Spread the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet in an even layer. Bake for about 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until toasted and golden. Toss in the apricots, let cool, and transfer to an airtight container.

We enjoy this granola with yogurt and fruit, as an add-in to cereal, or just by the handful. It’s lasts up to a week at our house (but it’s usually gone before then). I hope you love it as much as we do!