Quick & Easy Low-Fat Granola Recipe

Over the holidays, my mom made the best granola ever—and it was low-fat.  My DS kept asking for "More peas!" Then I went to my friend Julia's house— and she had made the same yummy granola too. I'm really trying to get away from eating a lot of processed foods but who has the time to make their own granola?

Excuse: It tasted so good, its got to be difficult to make.  And I barely cook. 
Truth: It's super easy.

Excuse:  I don't have time to track down all the random ingredients a health food store.
Truth: All the ingredients can be found at your standard grocery store.

Excuse: I have no time to make granola. 
Truth: It takes only five minutes to put it together.
  
With no excuses, I gave it a try. And I'm so glad I did. Five minutes preparation time and so easy that my two year-old son makes it with me. It's become a staple in our house. 

Warning: When the granola bakes in your oven, it will make your whole house smell delicious. Once when my mom was baking them, her next door neighbor knocked on her door and said, "those cookies you're baking smell delicious."

Low-Fat Maple Granola From SparkPeople

Prep time: 5 Mins  •  Cook time: 35 Mins  • Level: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 1/4 cup whole almonds
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup flaked coconut (unprocessed)
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup apple juice concentrate (find in the frozen section of your grocery store)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup dried fruit

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300° F.
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the dried fruit and toss well. 
3. Spread on large cookie sheet and bake 35-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. 
4. Stir in dried fruit.
5. Enjoy! 

Makes 6 servings (approx 5/8 cups each.)

Note: The recipe calls for a 1/4 cup apple juice concentrate I didn't have apple juice concentrate the first time I made it and the granola tasted great. So I don't use it.

Some people remove the maple syrup and just use the apple juice for sweetness. View full nutritional breakdown of Low-fat Maple Granola calories by ingredient.

Thanks to my mom and Julia for turning me on to this recipe.