Granola

Ingredients

• 4 cups rolled oats (preferably old-fashioned)
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup raw unsalted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1-2 Tbsp brown sugar (optional)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup real maple syrup

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment or silicon mat
2. In large bowl, thoroughly mix together oats, nuts, seeds, salt, and optional sugar
3. Pour in oil and syrup, spreading each across the surface as you pour, then mix thoroughly until everything looks consistently damp
4. Pour all contents of the bowl into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. (See below if you prefer it to stick together more.)
5. Bake in preheated 300 degree oven for 35 minutes.
6. Let cool completely before storing in air-tight container

Variations

1. You can substitute any nuts or seeds, keeping about the same ratio of oats to nuts + seeds
2. if you like dried fruit, add it AFTER baking, once the granola has cooled. Dried tart cherries or blueberries are good.

Tips for bigger chunks / slabs

1. After spreading it in the pan, press down firmly all over the surface. This is less messy if you first cover it with some wax paper or parchment. (Remove paper before baking)
2. The optional brown sugar seems to help it stick together
3. I have substituted up to 1 cup of the rolled oats with quick oats, which seemed to hold it together a little better.