Crunchy Granola over Plain Yogurt: Middle Eastern-Style

Submitted by COOKGIRl

"My expanded version of Family Fun's recipe for 'Crunchy Granola' with a Middle Eastern flavor. Inspired also by a delicious breakfast we enjoyed last weekend for Mother's Day at a local restaurant and which was --Tasty Dish-- approved!"

 

• Ready In: 50mins
• Ingredients: 18
• Yields: 7 cups

ingredients

• 1 cup Greek yogurt (approximately-we like Nancy's whole milk yogurt) or 1 cup plain yogurt (approximately-we like Nancy's whole milk yogurt)
• rose water (I used about 1/2 teaspoon for 1 cup of plain yogurt) or orange blossom water, to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon for 1 cup of plain yogurt)
• Agave or honey, for drizzling

• Granola

• 4 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup wheat germ
• 1⁄2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1⁄2 cup slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons pistachios
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 1⁄4 cup sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup, and 2 tablespoons demerara or 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3⁄4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄3 cup olive oil
• 1⁄4 cup raw agave syrup or 1/4 cup honey
• 1⁄3 cup filtered water
• 3⁄4 cup dried fruit (I added raisins, tart cherries, medjool dates and one tablespoon barberries to equal 3/4 cup.)

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, wheat germ, nuts, sesame and sunflower seeds, maple syrup/demerara or brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and salt.
3. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the olive oil, agave or honey, and water. Toss the mixture until it is well combined, then spread it evenly on a cookie sheet.
4. Bake the granola until lightly browned, approximately 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to keep the mixture from sticking.
5. Set aside to cool completely, then stir in the dried fruit.
6. Store left over granola in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
7. For 1 serving: Spoon yogurt into a serving bowl. Stir the rosewater or orange blossom water into the yogurt (start with a small amount then adjust).
8. Top yogurt with some of the granola (about 1/2 cup give or take) and add a light drizzle of agave or honey.
9. Enjoy!

Reviews

[UmmBinat]

Tasty dish! DD1 (4 years old approved.... Very Middle Easterny flavour with Iranian rose water which was my preference. I also tried with orange blossom water which is generally my favourite in sweets but preferred the former. I did change this to be gluten free. I used Balkan yogurt, liquid honey for drizzling and in the granola, I didn't feel it needed the drizzle. Instead of rolled oats I had some puffed quinoa I didn't know what to do with so I used it, left out the wheat germ (gluten), I used slivered almonds, pistachios, sesame seeds, brown sugar, the spices, sea salt to taste, extra virgin olive oil, water in a little less amount, currants, barberries, chopped dried apricot and dried prune. Made for March 2012 NA/ME Tag!

 

[Elmotoo]

I love this!!! Perfect proportions of oats, nuts & fruit. I LOVE the addition of rosewater to the yogurt...I probably used closer to a tablespoon. ;) Everybody should have this on hand. Made for NA/ME Tag 7/11.