RECIPE: GRANOLA FOR NEW MAMAS (OR ANYONE REALLY)

I love making this granola for new moms. It's loaded with oatmeal, nuts and seeds (essentials for nursing mamas) and it's soooo delicious. Bundle it with some baby necessities (book, bib, swaddle, etc.) and put it in a pretty box and you have a gift that's sure to delight. It's always nice to give a little something that's handmade, isn't it? 

Recipe from Eleven Madison Park via NYT

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 ¾ cups rolled oats
• 1 cup unsalted pistachios (shelled if you can find)*
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut chips
• ⅓ cup unsalted pumpkin seeds (raw if you can find)* 
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt*
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• ⅓ cup maple syrup
• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¾ cup dried sour cherries

*If you can only find salted nuts and seeds, reduce the amount of kosher salt.

HOW-TO:

Preheat oven to 300. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, pistachios, coconut, pumpkinseeds and salt.

In a small saucepan set over low heat, warm the sugar, syrup and olive oil until the sugar has just dissolved, then remove from heat. Fold liquids into the mixture of oats, making sure to coat the dry ingredients well.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, and spread granola over it. Bake until dry and lightly golden, 35 to 40 minutes, stirring granola a few times along the way.

Remove granola from oven, and mix into it the dried sour cherries. Allow to cool to room temperature before transferring to a storage container.

Yields: about 6 cups.