Applesauce Granola - Now with natural sweetener variation

Update: Recipe now includes sucessfully tested natural sweeterner variation. 

On occasion I have been known to go a little crazy in the quest to feed my passion.  Granola provides the perfect example.  My long time assumption has been that the more stuff in the granola the better it will taste.  Oats, nuts, seeds, ground flax, wheat germ, honey, oil - you name it and I've put it in granola.  Once baked I have always been at least mildly disappointed. 

Enter a recipe I found this weekend that goes against the grain, er... oat.  This one is simple, versatile and amazingly good.  Not to mention very low in fat and sugar. 

I rely on homemade granola as a base for granola bars.  The simpler the granola recipe the more variety of granola bar recipe.


Applesauce Granola

• 4 1/2 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (or substitute 3 tablespoons agave nectar + 1 teaspoon black strap molasses)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix together oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine applesauce, honey and coconut oil.
4. Once warmed through mix the applesauce mixture into the oat mixture.  Stir to coat.
5. Spread the mixture into a 9x13 casserole dish or roasting pan.
6. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, stirring the mixture every 10 minutes.  The granola is done when it is golden brown.
7. Store in a sealed container for up to two weeks or freeze for longer storage.

Stay tuned for future posts on granola bars made from homemade applesauce granola!