Carrot Cake Granola (AKA Toasted Muesli)

Someone on social media scolded me for saying granola and muesli are the same, but of course I meant toasted muesli, which is what it is/was called in Australia till recently.  You can still find packets in the shops called toasted muesli, but it is becoming rarer.  Sigh!

This recipe is from the Donna Hay Christmas: Feasts and Treats cookbook.  Not sure what is especially Christmas-y about it, but we did enjoy eating it.  Speaking of cookbooks, I am in two virtual cookbook clubs, so I get to see a fair few books that I wouldn't normally pick up.  It is fascinating to me how a particular cookbook will appeal or not.  I'm checking out a Desserts cookbook for one of the clubs, and I'm just not feeling it, so I will leave it be for this month, and hope that I enjoy next month's book choice.

I've had bronchitis over the last couple of weeks (still not totally better), so choosing a recipe seems like too much hard work right now :=)  I went to our doctor, who is a very laid-back, laissez-faire kind of bloke.  He asked what I expected from this visit?!  Umm, maybe a diagnosis and suggestions for treatment?!!  He casually, in passing, told me I have bronchitis, but that's as far as it went.  So back home I went to my sick bed, not much the wiser.  

crunchy, nutty, spicy!

Makes 12 cups:

ingredients:

360g./4 cups rolled oats

240g./2 cups carrot, grated

230g./2 cups pecans, chopped (how you please - big or small)

200g./2 cups walnuts, also chopped as you please

75g./1 cup shredded coconut (not sweetened)

3 tsp ground cinnamon

1.5 tsp ground ginger

1.5 tsp ground nutmeg

250 mL/1 cup pure maple syrup   see Notes

125 mL/half cup neutral vegetable oil or lightly-flavoured olive oil  see Notes

1 Tbs vanilla paste/extract

220g./1.33 cups raisins or cranberries (or dried fruit of your choice)

Toasted sesame seeds/almond flakes/roasted cashews - optional extras on top after baking  (my option!)

carrots of course :=)

pecans, too

Method:

Whack on your oven to 160C/325F to heat up

Grab 3 large baking trays, and line with baking paper

Into a large mixing bowl go the: oats, carrot, pecans, walnuts, coconut, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg

Give this mix a really good stir to combine

Then add the maple syrup, oil and vanilla, and mix gently to coat

Spread out the mixture evenly on the 3 trays, and bake for 20 minutes

Stir the 3 trays, and bake for another 10-15 minutes till golden, and crunchy, and smelling good

Let the mixture cool on the trays, then tip into a large bowl, and stir in the dried fruit (and the optional extras for serving) 

Can be kept in an air-tight container for 4 weeks

and a wee bit of nutmeg

Notes:

If you'd rather use another kind of syrup like rice bran, or agave nectar or honey, go ahead!

I used sunflower oil with a bit of EVoo as I had no light olive oil

get your ingredients together

and give 'em a good mixing

mix mix mix, my friends

stir in the maple syrup, oil and vanilla

ready for baking - 160C for 20 mins.

adding the fruit

and the extra garnishes

oh yeah, add that syrup