Lavender Granola

An odd little find at our library….an entire cookbook dedicated to culinary lavender: Discover Cooking with Lavender. Knowing my love of Lavender I couldn’t pass checking it out.

A couple of years back I pulled out the ‘landscaper special’ bushes in our front yard and plunked in around 15 culinary Lavender bushes. Now 5 years old they are filling in, providing a nice crop yearly and a home for the bees.

I believe in the theory that we’d all be better if what grew in our yards was growing food for us and the wee critters out there. Landscaping Specials rarely do either and are ugly, to my eyes at least. Who wouldn’t prefer gorgeous Lavender over a small prickly evergreen bush that smells like cat pee? 😀 Thankfully where we live the HOA is not strict on what one can grown. Hence as long as there are no rusting cars n’ dishwashers in the front yard we can garden to our heart’s delight. It is one reason I like where we live. So nothing like a book that encourages my Lavender obsession! Perusing said book I saw the recipe for granola on page 116. It is a very large batch, even ¼ of the recipe is a lot. But hey, worst is I send my brother a big bag for his snacks….he won’t mind! And yes, the Lavender does work. Once baked it is a mild floral scent and the taste is very nice. Bonus points if you can source local honey that is Lavender sourced……

Lavender Granola

Ingredients:

• ½ cup sunflower or other neutral oil
• ½ cup honey, preferably raw
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp dried culinary lavender, finely ground
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 8 cups old-fashioned oats
• ½ cup each raw cashews, sliced raw almonds and diced macadamia nuts
• ½ cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup golden raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°.

Mix the oil, honey, sugar, vanilla, lavender and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.

Meanwhile in a large mixing bowl mix the oats, nuts and coconut. Pour the warm oil mixture over and stir until mixed, using hands if needed.

Spread on two rimmed large baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, take out and stir, bake for another 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove and stir in the berries, let cool, stirring as it cools.

Once cooled store in an airtight container(s).

Makes about 11 cups.

~Sarah