Cherry, Apricot, Pecan Granola

It sure has been awhile since I last posted a recipe. Many changes have been underway in our lives. I decided to leave my job as a teacher and pursue a certificate in User Experience Design. I have been working full time as a nanny since August while working on my certifications. We are also delighted to be welcoming another member of our family later this summer! With all of these changes plus the ongoing challenges of the pandemic I have been forced to put this blog on the back burner (pun intended).  I have, however, still been creating recipes and have quite a log of new ones to share with you all in the future. 

We just got back from our babymoon to Michigan where we were extremely blessed with AMAZING weather, 75 degrees in March + tons of beaches with no on one else in sight. It was truly unexpected and wonderful! We stayed at a lovely two room farmhouse near the dunes and we brought our own breakfasts and dinners and ordered lunch to go each day. One of the breakfast items I bought with is one of our favorite breakfast foods of all time, granola. This recipe came to me as I was browsing the aisles of Aldi.  I came across their dried fruit section and it reminded me of a granola recipe I tried awhile back where they had the genius idea of softening the fruit before baking it. I decided to buy some apricots and dried sour cherries and when I got home I combined them with my favorite nuts and seeds and a dash of cinnamon and a couple dollops of honey. The results were rather tasty and I have since made this numerous times.  When using dried fruit in your granola it is important to soften them first, the method shown below is one I got from this recipe from Happy Hearted Kitchen. If you don’t soften them first, they tend to burn upon baking them, so make sure you don’t skip that step. 

This is a perfect Make Ahead of Monday for you and your family to enjoy. When stored properly it can last up to two weeks!  I hope you enjoy this Apricot, Cherry, Pecan Granola! 


​Apricot - Cherry - Pecan Granola 

1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cherries 
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup coconut oil 
3 tablespoons honey 
3 cups rolled oats 
1/2 cup raw pepitas 
1 cup raw sunflower seeds 
1 cup chopped raw pecans 
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees 
2. Chop the dried fruit into smaller pieces.
3. Add the water and dried fruit to a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until most of the water is gone and the fruit is soft.
4. Meanwhile combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine.
5. Remove the fruit mixture from the heat, and add the coconut oil and honey. Stir to combine. 
6. Pour the wet ingredients into the oat/nut/seed mixture and stir to coat.
7. Add the granola to a large parchment-lined baking sheet in an even layer.
8. Bake for 35 minutes, stirring halfway. 
9. Let the granola completely cool on the baking sheet.Store in a glass or plastic airtight container for up to two weeks.  Enjoy with yogurt and fresh fruit.