I abandoned you guys on Wednesday.
I’m sorry about that. Really, I truly am, but I needed a night off; you understand. In fact, based on attendance in the blog world, I’m thinking a lot of you need nights off too. Maybe we should consider a collective holiday break.
Since I bailed on Wednesday, I wanted to make it up to you though. So I come bearing gifts, not of the physical kind, but more of the metaphorical kind. I give you…drum roll please…my recipe for Orange Cranberry Granola.
While my gift does involve some labor on your part, it won’t take much time and the end result is more than worth the effort. I know you’d probably prefer I just make it myself and ship it off to you, and while that’s a great idea, it’s not going to happen. At least not this month, although there will be another granola giveaway sometime in the future…the very, very distant future.
I actually perfected this recipe mid-Summer and then deliberately decided not to share. I know I’m cruel, but there’s a reason for it. Of course there is; you know me, always ready with an argument. Man, you’d think I was raised by lawyers or something (cough, cough). I held back on publishing this lovely little number because this granola screams holidays to me; provided granola could scream, obviously. The combination of orange and nutmeg could easily be one of Ebenezer Scrooge’s ghosts of Christmas past. In fact, I’d welcome this fruity scented ghost with open arms and a spoon.
Let’s talk citrus. Not surprising given my love of fruit, but I’m a huge fan, and I like it to pack a punch. The citrus, in my opinion, should never be a bit player. In fact, it should always be the star of the show. Don’t pass me a watered down lemon square because we’re going to have issues. My goal when I bite into something made with any kind of citrus is I want the flavor to be strong enough to up and smack you in the face. Sorta like how Red Bull gives you wings. This granola will slap you upside your head.
Fine, fine, fine; it won’t actually hit you, but you’ll know without a doubt that an orange has been involved in the making of this delicious concoction. You’ll love it too. In fact, I’d go so far as to say your friends, family and coworkers will love it because this would make a fabulous holiday gift.
I planning on making a quantum leap size physics batch this weekend (I’m pretty sure this makes no sense) and gifting it to everyone I know. Well except you, but we’ve already established that. Besides, I’m given you the actual tools so you can make it yourself, which is way better. Right…..um, I love you.
Orange Cranberry Granola (Makes approximately 6 Cups)
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 2 1/2 to 3 cups chopped unsalted nuts (I use a combination of walnuts, almonds and pecans).
- 1/2 cup shredded and unsweetened coconut
- 3 Tablespoons wheat germ or flax powder
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 Tablespoon orange extract
- 1 orange: the juice of and the zest from (approximately 1 to 2 Tablespoons of zest, depending on the size of the orange) Obviously the zestier, the bestier (Go with it).
- 1/3 cup olive or canola oil (I tested this using orange juice in place of the oil, and it wasn’t pretty; learn from my mistakes).
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup (put away the Aunt Jemima; ain’t no maple in that).
- 1 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the oats, nuts, coconut, wheat germ or flax powder, and nutmeg in a medium-sized bowl. Mix in your orange extract, orange zest and the juice from your orange.
- Add in your oil of choice. Stir to combine and evenly coat the dry mixture. Then, add in your maple syrup. Stir to evenly coat mixture. It’s important you add the oil and syrup separately. I’ve done it together, and it takes away from the texture.
- Once combined, spoon mixture onto a baking sheet. Leave clumped together. Do not spread out on the baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through. *Note: If you like your granola on the crunchier side, you can cook it longer. Also, if you like big clusters, don’t stir it as often.
- Remove from oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight, if you happen to have cats and therefore let it cool on a shelf in the dining room, where you promptly forget about it. What? It happens.
- Add your cranberries. Enjoy plain, with milk as cereal or with yogurt and fresh fruit.
Are you making any holiday gifts this year? If so, what? Are you a fan of citrus in baking? Do you like the flavor to smack you upside the head, or should it be a bit player?
Davida @ The Healthy Maven says
December 13, 2013 at 10:55 AMLove citrus baking! And I think we should all take a collective holiday break. None of these guest posts to fill in while someone else gets to vacation. We all deserve a break people!
Meghan says
December 14, 2013 at 12:56 PMAgreed. I’ll be likely taking off the entire week of Christmas. Maybe more; we’ll see how it goes.
Yamir says
December 13, 2013 at 12:20 PMBeautiful. Seems delicious. Now, if I could get my hand on some unsweetened cranberries. Everything I find has some. I’ll have to keep trying. But this seems cute enough to give as a gift. You know, when you wanna give a little token of appreciation to someone. I just did some cookies for my kids teachers and this seems as something I can do for them also for Teachers day maybe. Of course I gotta do the tasting first.
Thanks!!
Meghan says
December 14, 2013 at 12:57 PMI can find the cranberries at my natural grocery store so maybe if you look at a Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods, you can get unsweetened ones. Or you can use the sweet ones and it’ll be extra sweet. 🙂
Tasting first always.
Amanda @ .running with spoons. says
December 13, 2013 at 12:32 PMToo many delicious cranberry orange recipes taunting me lately. Dratted holidays. And I don’t know about getting smacked in the face, but I definitely enjoy a little bit of citrus rough housing. That being said, I’d choose chocolate above ALL the things, so I’d definitely be tossing in a handful or two of chocolate chips.
Meghan says
December 14, 2013 at 12:58 PMA little citrus rough housing. I love that. Where were you when I was writing this post? That would have been perfect.
Orange and chocolate go fabulous together so the chips would be a great addition.
Marina @ PBlover and Runner says
December 13, 2013 at 2:32 PMYour photos so remind of summer. Don’t think anything bad, I love New Year’s holidays (in many respects thanks to gifts and baking ;)), but I would like that the summer came right now… I would sit on a grass and ate your delightful muesli with yogurt. Well, would be coolly – it is pleasant to me as refresh citrus tastes!
Meghan says
December 14, 2013 at 12:59 PMYou’re good and I say that because I took those photos during the summertime. Outside in fact, so you’re probably picking up on that summertime light. I miss it.
Eating 4 Balance says
December 13, 2013 at 9:18 PMHave you ever seen the tv show Quantum Leap? I think I watched the first season as a kid on DVD. Along with Greatest American Hero.
But now you’ve got me sidetracked with your offhand description about the size of your granola batch. For shame.
Finally you post it! We actually just got oranges recently in a (an?) FFA fruit sale. Why are they so popular around Christmas? They seem like a summer fruit to me.
Oh well. This recipe looks as great as I have been anticipating all this time. I prefer food that slaps me on the head. I don’t want to be left guessing what “this” is. Food should taste like the food it was made from.
Meghan says
December 14, 2013 at 1:01 PMI did watch that show growing up. It’s probably where my batch size came from; I get the oddest snippets of info stuck in my head.
I don’t know why oranges are so popular right now, but they are everywhere this time of year. It’s why I had to suspend this recipe until now. That and I wanted slap happy food. 🙂
Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli says
December 14, 2013 at 2:35 PMIt’s about TIME!! 😉 I’ve been without your granola for TOO long! How are things going on the lemon blueberry front Miss Perfectionist?
Oh and thanks for the idea, I think I’m going to make some of my Almond Joy Granola for my mom for one of her Christmas gifts! 🙂
Meghan says
December 17, 2013 at 6:34 AMNot perfect enough yet! Or lemony enough either. 😉 I took a break from it, right after buying twelve tons of lemon extract, of course.
I even bought cute little ball jars off of Amazon to put the granola in. I’ll stick a bow or a ribbon on it. Maybe attached a twig from outside and call it a day. It’s either going to look fabulous or like a hot mess with a twig stuck to it. 🙂
Arman @ thebigmansworld says
December 15, 2013 at 5:38 PMOff topic, but I made granola bites this weekend for a brunch!! (Which I didn’t really eat much of…Bacon + buttered toast = hangover cure!)
To be honest, I’ve never been a huge citrus fan in chocolate, cereal etc- I’ve always associated it better with juices, sparkling drinks, gummy candy or fruit itself. However, one of the best cakes I’ve had was topped with candied citrus peel…so good!
I am definitely making foodie goodies for some neighbours/family friends- abit different to more generic boxed chocolates or useless nicknacks!
Meghan says
December 17, 2013 at 6:42 AMI’m a huge citrus fan, but much like you, not necessarily in chocolate. I’d much rather mix it with other things like nuts, oats and more nuts.
Much different and much better! I’d rather get a homemade foodie gift, but then again I love food so I’m easy to please.
kirsten@FarmFreshFeasts says
December 15, 2013 at 9:09 PMMeghan,
Your timing is perfect! As the Florida citrus harvest is in full swing right now, and we got our band fruit fundraiser cases of citrus last week, I’m looking for ways to use it.
And, my 2 quart Meghan’s Granola jar is newly empty–the spouse polished off the last bit with a salad a few days ago.
Triple and (if I can say such a thing) I recently inherited an 8 quart stainless steel bowl which I immediately thought ‘this would be perfect for making Meghan’s granola in’ when I got it.
Looking forward to this!
(Can I skip the orange extract? I don’t have any on hand, and with 3 cases of citrus I really don’t want to go out and buy any more orange-y anything. I don’t need to be hit in the face with my granola, it’s my favorite bedtime snack anyway.)
Meghan says
December 17, 2013 at 6:50 AMI’m thrilled to hear the spouse is getting in on the granola action and my name is now being associate with beautiful stainless steel bowls.
You can skip the extract. Use a little more zest to compensate and the juice from an orange but not orange juice. I tried that in place of oil and it ruined the texture of my oats.
Sarah Pie says
December 16, 2013 at 10:08 AMYou posted granola last week and I missed it!! Now I know what happens when I take time off 😉
I was all ready to go into the kitchen and try new things today… but I think I’ll be making a batch of this instead!
Meghan says
December 17, 2013 at 7:12 AMOh I hope you do. I was actually wondering about that. Do you need to buy special gluten free oats or are oats ok as is? I’ve read oat are actually gluten free, but there’s usually so much cross contamination, they end up containing gluten.