Lightened Up Toasted Almond Apricot Granola

I have a confession...before last week, I had never made my own granola before.  I really like granola, as does my family, but I have always just bought pre-made granola, whether it be from a national brand or a granola made in store locally.  I have spend countless hours ( well, probably NOT that long, but you get the picture) reading the backs and sides of granolas, trying to find the ones that looked and sounded good, but had the least amount of fat contained in them...because let's face it, as good as granola is, it can really rack up the points very easily.  And then, I saw a homemade granola that Mandi on Itzy's Kitchen had made...and it was low fat, because she successfully removed some of the fat and replaced it with unsweetened applesauce, and it still turned out crunchy!  You can find her recipe HERE.  After a quick scan of ingredients, I realized I had everything on hand, and so I set out to make my very first batch of granola!

It was incredibly easy.  The only thing I did wrong was that  I should have used two pans, so the granola would bake more easily, but I used one and just made sure to bake it a little longer and stir it frequently.  I followed her recipe pretty exact, except I reduced the amount of almonds, added some raw pepitas and like her, added some dried fruit at the end.  Sooo delicious!  For a 1/2 cup serving, this granola comes in at 6 points+....and for a 1/4 cup serving ( like the size you might want on fruit or yogurt) it comes in at 3 points+.  This will keep crunchy in an airtight container or bag for up to 2 weeks...that is, if it lasts that long! 

Lightened Up Toasted Almond Apricot Granola adapted from Itzy's Kitchen

MyKitchenAdventures

Servings - 16 ( recipe yields approx. 8 cups granola)   Serving size - 1/2 cup  Points Plus per svg - 6 points+

Calories - 196.7   Total Fat - 6.5g,   Carb. - 35.4g,   Protein - 4g,  Fiber - 3.1g

4 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup slivered almonds, raw

1/2 cup whole almonds, raw

1/2 cup pepitas, raw

1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut

1 TBS. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

3 TBS. unsalted butter

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup brown sugar, loosely packed

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 cup dried apricot halves, chopped

1. Adjust oven racks to accommodate two large baking sheets.   Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Prepare two large sided baking sheets ( half sheet size)  by lining them with nonstick foil or parchment paper.  In large bowl, combine the oats, both types of almonds, pepitas, coconut, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside.

2.  In small sauce pan, melt the butter and add the applesauce, honey, and brown sugar.  Cook on low heat until mixture just comes to a boil.  Take off heat and add the vanilla extract, stirring well to combine all ingredients.  

3.  Pour the butter mixture over the oats mixture and stir very well, being sure to coat every piece of the dry with the wet ingredients. 

4.  Spread mixture onto prepared baking sheets and bake for 25 - 30 minutes, stirring every ten minutes and switching the baking sheets positions in the oven at least once.  ( top to bottom and bottom to top)   Remove from oven, toss in the dried apricot  pieces onto each pan,  and let cool.  Granola will crisp up as it cools.  Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks. 

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Are you a granola fan?  Have you ever made your own?  if you haven't give this recipe a try!  you won't
be disappointed but you may find portion control to be an issue!  haha
Looking for more granola recipes?  Give this Cinnamon Crunch Granola from Good Not Perfect a try sometime for breakfast or snack!