Olive Oil Granola with Bing Cherries and Pistachios

I made my first batch of homemade granola a few years ago using a recipe I found on the New York Times. It was truly awesome. So awesome, in fact, that I thought it may be beginner's luck. So I made more and more batches, each as delicious as the last.




In my youth, I didn't know a good thing when it was right in the oven before me. I felt the urge to experiment. Maybe there were better granola recipes out there?

I had a few years of walking in the wilderness of baked oats. Nothing compared.

But I'm older and wiser now and learned the error of my ways. And I'm happy to say, I'm back together with my original granola recipe. I know we'll be together forever.




Olive Oil Granola with Dried Cherries and Pistachios

Originally adapted from the New York Times

Ingredients:

• 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup raw pistachios, hulled (if you can't find raw, use hulled roasted pistachios and mix them in at the end)
• 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, hulled
• 1 cup coconut chips
• 3/4 cup raw agave syrup
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 3/4 cup dried bing cherries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, pumpkin seeds, pistachios (only if raw), coconut chips, salt, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Mix well. Add agave syrup and olive oil and stir to coat entirely.

Spread mixture on a large rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake 45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and toasted. Transfer granola to a large bowl and mix with dried bing cherries and pistachios.