Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Granola

 

 

Growing up, I was that weird kid who preferred a nice, chewy, spiced oatmeal raisin cookie to crowd favorites like chocolate chip or M&M. I didn't like oatmeal chocolate chip, and while oatmeal butterscotch cookies were alright, my absolute favorite was chock full of cinnamon and raisins. I used to get made fun of for this. It was a rough time in my life. Okay, not really. But it did get to the point when every other kid I knew was "allergic" to raisins or thought oatmeal was "gross" that I pretended to be a oatmeal hating, raisin-allergy ridden sheep as well. I just wanted to fit in. I was what is known as an extreme people pleaser.

 

 

 

 

But you know what? I LOVE RAISINS! And now, I'm not afraid to say that. It seems like such a funny thing, being embarrassed to like something as harmless as dried fruit. But I remember many a time when the oatmeal raisin cookies were the only type left in the box and I turned my nose up at them simply because that's what my friends were doing.

 

 

Am I the only one who kept these dumb secrets as a child in order to be like everyone else?

 

 

Thank God for growing up. That's all I have to say. Now I can finally enjoy my oatmeal raisin cookies -and oatmeal raisin cookie granola- in peace.

 

 

 

 

This oatmeal is super crunchy, not too sweet, and tastes a lot like it's cookie namesake, I think. If you don't like raisins, try dried cherries or dried cranberries, or, if you really want to, chocolate chips. I actually used dried cranberries in this batch because I was out of raisins. It's pictured in this post atop chocolate banana nice-cream(recipe coming soon), but my favorite way to serve it is with almond milk and frozen blueberries.

 

 

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Granola

 

 

Ingredients:

 

 

-1 cup almonds

-5 cups oats

-1 tsp. baking soda

-1 tsp. salt

-1 tsp. cinnamon

-Dash ginger

-2 Tbs. ground flax seeds

-1/4 cup brown rice syrup(if you like your granola on the sweeter side, I'd recommend adding more sugar or syrup.)

-1/4 cup coconut sugar(I'm sure brown sugar, raw sugar or any granulated sugar would work as well)

-1/2 cup apple sauce(I just pureed a couple apples in my vitamix)

-1 Tbs. vanilla

-1/2 tsp. almond extract

-1 Tbs. coconut oil or coconut butter

-1 1/2 cups raisins

 

 

Method:

 

 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray. Blend almonds and 2 cups of oats in a food processor until flour-y. Set aside remaining 3 cups of oats in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, except oats and raisins to food processor and blend until combined. Pour into your large bowl and mix to combine with oats. Spread granola between the two pans and bake for 20 minutes. You will probably need to bake your granola for anther 10-20 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes. Remove from oven and stir in raisins. Let cool and devour, like the vegan lion that you are. :P