Date-Apricot-Coconut Granola

Granola! It's a favorite around here and we go through it way too quickly......and it's not the cheapest thing to buy so I like to make it whenever I can. Like the cookies, it's an easy thing to prep while my baby is napping and then it gets to take its sweet time in the oven while the rest of our day goes on. This one is extra yummy because it has dates in it (which I love!). 

This weekend I'm excited to be going to the Blend Retreat 2015 #Blend2015! The last blogger event I attended was Foodbuzz a couple of years ago. I'm excited to see how this event will be and checkout Boulder for the first time! The whole family is coming so our schedule will be pretty chill. I'm really looking forward to the yoga class on Sunday morning!

Date-Apricot-Coconut Granola

Ingredients

• Unrefined virgin coconut oil, for brushing
• 6 cups walnut halves
• 3 cups steel-cut oats
• 1 cup regular oats
• 2 cups pecan halves
• 2 cups almonds, chopped
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
• 3/4 cup liquid egg whites
• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 3/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1 cup pitted dried dates, chopped

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 250°.

2. In a large bowl, using your hands, mix walnuts, oats, pecans, almonds, seeds, coconut, cinnamon and nutmeg.

3. In a medium bowl, gently beat egg whites, maple syrup, and coconut oil with a fork, taking care to keep foam to a minimum. Pour egg white mixture over dry ingredients and mix thoroughly with your hands to evenly coat.

4. Transfer mixture to baking sheet, spreading it out so that it’s slightly thicker toward sides. (This will prevent granola at edges from sticking during baking.) Bake granola mixture for about 25 minutes, then rotate baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes longer. Remove baking sheet from oven, carefully mix granola with a spatula and continue to bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes (or until the crispiness that you want!)

5. Let cool on a wire rack, then transfer to a large bowl. Add dried cranberries, apricots and dates and mix thoroughly to combine. The granola can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. 

*slightly adapted from Health Magazine