Coconut & Pecan Granola

- original recipe shared with me by Texas running partner:  Brooke Samuelian

One of my very first childhood memories is a dark one.  Literally... it was dark outside.  It must have been winter, around the time I turned 3.  I remember crying... there was oatmeal for breakfast.  I  HATED  IT.  (Please note the past-tense used in this declaration.)  

And it wasn't just oatmeal.  It was food-storage oatmeal getting used on the parade of Mark kids seated at the kitchen table.  I was alone.  The last one to finish.  I  ALWAYS  GOT  ALL  THE   HUSKS!!!  OH how I hated oatmeal.  I flatly refused to eat it.  I cannot recall how many breakfasts were skipped in protest of eating it, but over the years... all the way through my adolescence, there were quite a few.  

Fast forward... Mama Jo has her own sweet parade of children.  She's also gotten over her hatred for cooked oatmeal thanks to: #1 - coconut oil and brown sugar #2 - the firm acknowledgement of its place in her race nutrition #3 - an overall "eating clean" requirement for her family.

Unfortunately, feeding oatmeal to someone in the aforesaid parade of children has triggered an oatmeal negotiation battle.  There have been tears, much like my own as a child, over cooked oatmeal.  Payton Olivia hates it as much as I did.  Negotiations were finalized  through tears, some yelling combined with flopping on the couch and me struggling not to laugh at what I must have been like for my own mother.  The terms met for having ACTUAL cooked oatmeal were set in stone a few years ago for 1 and no more than 2 times per week.  If I try to get an extra day in... I am lovingly reminded of the agreed terms!   

So I've gotten very creative (i.e.: SNEAKY) with presenting "oatmeal" for breakfast.  There are oatmeal waffles, oatmeal pancakes, breakfast smoothies with left-over cooked oatmeal, and here in this post I give you Coconut & Pecan Granola.  

(Please thank me in the comments for your lovely home aromas after you've baked up a batch!)  :O)   

GLUTEN-FREE  VERSION  LINK:   Gluten-Free UPDATE for Coconut Pecan Granola

5 cups old fashioned oats

2 cups Unsweetened coconut flakes

1 cup pecan pieces

1 cup raw sunflower kernels

1 cup wheat germ, toasted

1/3 cup milled flax seed

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup unrefined, coconut oil

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 baking sheets (preferred: pampered chef bar pans)

parchment paper

Toast your 1 cup of wheat germ at 375 for 7-10 minutes until golden brown and smelling "toasty".   (DO NOT WALK AWAY from your oven... burnt wheat germ is not a lovely smell.  Ask me how I know!)

In a large bowl mix together oats, unsweetened coconut, pecan pieces, sunflower kernels, milled flax seed, cinnamon and sea salt.  

Combine well. 

In a small or medium sauce pan, combine water and brown sugar.  Bring to a boil for 1 minute.  

Remove from heat.  Add unrefined coconut oil, vanilla and almond extract to the water and sugar mixture.

Add toasted wheat germ to the large mixing bowl of dry ingredients, stir to combine well.  

Last combing step!  Add your sugar mixture to the large bowl.  Combine wet and dry ingredients until mixture is uniform and not clumpy.

Line  2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Divide 1/2 of the mixture between the baking sheets and level.

Bake in the oven at 250, with your racks evenly spaced, for your first set of 20 minutes.  

Remove both pans and gently remix your granola on each baking sheet.  Replace baking sheet to your oven - SWITCHING THEIR POSITION.  

Bake another 20 minutes, your second set... and... 

REPEAT:

Remove both pans and gently remix your granola on each baking sheet.  Replace baking sheet to your oven - SWITCHING THEIR POSITION.

Bake for your third and LAST TIME!  20 minutes... and REPEAT:  Remove both pans and gently remix your granola on each baking sheet.  

Let cool completely before transferring it to an air-tight container. 

Enjoy this form of "oatmeal" as a quick snack, as cereal with milk, or with your favorite yogurt.  (Definitely makes Non-fat Greek yogurt happier... as well as "oatmeal" traumatized children!!!)

Parchment paper.  

What on earth would life be like without it???

NOTE:  I do not curl my paper "under" any longer.

I have found in my twice-a-week granola baking that I 

prefer them curled UP at the edges of the pans to help keep 

everything on the pan when I stir up the granola every 

25 minutes while baking.

Evenly space your baking racks in your oven... 

Give your baking sheets / bar pans room to breathe and cook.

You will know your granola is done when it is has 

a toasty golden brown color, and smells like granola perfection...

Yes.  I have Tupperware. 

The wedding gift that keeps on giving!  

A large Ziplock bag will keep it happy too!

ADDED  PHOTO  TO  ADDRESS  COMMENTS:

This granola was made after the post using 3/4 brown sugar and 3/4 honey 

to see if there was a difference in getting it to "clump together" a bit more.  

It did... however, in the end, it was not as crisp as it is just using brown sugar.  

There was no big difference in taste other than losing the crispiness of the original post.  

Good, but not my fav.

Click Link FOR:       Gluten-FREE Update for Coconut Pecan Granola


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