Meatless Monday: Cranberry-almond granola and yogurt parfait

by Sarah Steimer

Healthiest gal on the block.

• organic vanilla yogurt*
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2/3 cup almonds (slivered or otherwise cut)
• 2/3 cup dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon water

Combine oats, cinnamon, almonds and cranberries in a large bowl (feel free to add flax seeds, wheat germ, etc. I just didn’t have any of that on hand). In a separate bowl combine vegetable oil, brown sugar, honey and water.

Add the honey mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until all the oats are evenly coated.  Transfer wet granola evenly onto a large cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper.

Cook at 300 degrees for about a half and hour to 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow granola to completely cool before serving.  Don’t worry if the granola doesn’t seem completely crunchy after coming out of the oven, it will crisp up once completely cooled.

Layer the granola with the yogurt and add more fruit if you’d like.

* I know that eating organic can be expensive, but splurging a little on your yogurt is worth it in my humble opinion. Yogurt in general is very good for you, especially if you’re a woman. Because there are active cultures in yogurt, it just seems like common sense (to me) that you wouldn’t want the cow it comes from to be messed with at all. It’s up to you, though! Do your own research and see what you stumble upon. I wish there was more information about food readily available to the public from valid sources.

Recipe adapted from: Kitchen Explorers

Photo by: Sarah Steimer

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