Strawberry Almond Granola.
I’ve never been one for patience.
I am, perhaps, the most impatient person in the whole world. How do I know?
Well, I don’t. I’d tell you to Google it, but I can’t wait that long. So you’ll just have to take my word for it. And my recipes. Because if something tasty takes me longer than 45 minutes to make, you’ll find me waist deep in a tub of chocolate frosting ready to face plant on the kitchen floor, riding waves of anxiety. Â I don’t do complicated.
I’m speedy. No molasses here.
That’s why I have this little thing for granola. It’s simple, it’s quick, and it tends to be a hodge podge of whatever ingredients I have on hand. It’s a hot mess. I like hot messes.
If you’re anything like me, you could probably enter the competitive eating arena with a bucket of granola and win back-to-back titles. Twice. And while I’d be extremely proud of my oat cluster consumption, I probably couldn’t hang around to see my offspring carry on the family name due to the constant sugar coma I’d lapse in to. That’s why I sweetened this granola with pureed strawberries. Oh, and honey. Probably too much honey according to some, but if there is anything I do well, it’s being excessive.
The whole pureed fruit idea came from Sylvie, who shared a post on how to make fabulous granola. And that fabulosity also inspired me to add butter to my granola. First time ever, folks. Don’t know what took me so long. But when I innocently poured the melted goodness into the bowl of oats and watched it slickly soak into the plush wheat germ, I knew it was the right move.
Repeat after me: I will never eat granola again unless it’s made with butter. Butter is swell.
Strawberry Almond Granola
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
- 1/2 cup wheat germ
- 1/2 cup chopped almonds
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- contents of one vanilla bean
- 1/2 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup strawberry puree about large 5-6 strawberries for me
- dried strawberries optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- In a large bowl combine oats, wheat germ, flax, salt, cinnamon and almonds. Stir to combine. Add strawberries (with tops removed) to a food processor and blend until pureed. Set aside. Melt butter and add vanilla and vanilla beans to it.
- Add honey to the oat mixture, combined with a spoon. Stir in strawberry puree and butter + vanilla mixture, tossing until everything is coated. Spread out on a baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 5-7 minutes. You want granola to be slightly golden when you remove it from the oven. Let it sit and cool for one hour – at this time it should become crunchy. Fold in dried strawberries. Store in a seal tight container for up to one week.
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I appreciate you so much!
Now if only I had the patience to clean my house.
110 Comments on “Strawberry Almond Granola.”
This granola looks amazing! I love the addition of strawberry puree! Throw a couple chocolate chips into that bowl and it looks like dessert:-)
Chocolate covered strawberry granola!!
This is unreal! I would have never thought of putting fruit puree in granola! You are just full of good ideas! This has all the best things about a strawberry fields salad, without the salad. Right up my alley. Unless I sprinkle it in a spinach smoothie…. Now, that I could get behind.
Impatient chicks unite! :)
This granola looks so good! Love the addition of strawberry puree!! With the honey, vanilla bean & the dried strawberries, it’s a match made in heaven :).
I love this – will you make me some blueberry? Not that I don’t like strawberry, but I’m kind of obsessed with blueberries.
Anything for you.
mmm strawberry? How fun? I like to pretend there are no calories in granola because boy can I shovel that stuff down ;)
YUM! That bowl of granola looks so good I can barely stand it! Have you ever added any spice to granola? Like a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper with chocolate chips! Sort of a mexican chocolate granola- but not for the faint of heart (especially in the morning)!
I usually just add cinnamon! Never tried cayenne. It sounds so good!
This looks & sounds amazing!!
Your pics are incredible by the way :)
pureed fruit in granola is genius! :)
Deeeelish!
YUM! This sounds lovely. Granola is one thing I could eat every day and never get sick of it. Wonder if you’ve got a bacon-ified version up your sleeve too? :P
Already did that! http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/01/the-elvis-granola-bar/
Wow this looks fabulous!! I see a lot of granola recipes around, but this is one I’m really excited about. Thanks for sharing. :-)
butter IS swell! you know what would be great in this? dried strawberries. they’re like candy…and i know we both need more candy in our lives.
I agree! Great idea!
Guys… they are in there! LOL! :P
Oops! Clearly, I should not be allowed to comment on blogs in the early morning, when my eyes aren’t yet fully functional. ;)
Yum! What an original recipe! I second Heather on the dried strawberries– yummmmmm.
Wow…Jessica, that looks amazing! :-D
Mmm, this looks so delicious!
Love the addition of strawberry in this granola recipe! I am actually planning to make a “honey nut” granola later this week in honor of Omar form the Wire (my favorite show of all time). ;)
I would seriously be sitting in front of the oven with my nose pressed to the glass waiting for this to be done
This looks incredible – I’m new to making homemade granola but I’ll definitely have to try this recipe!
YUM! The perfect breakfast! :-)
Looks wonderful, as usual :) Love strawberries in the spring and summer!!
ooh, good idea! i’d rather have fruit flavor in the whole batch rather than just pieces of dried fruit.
I don’t know why I don’t make my own granola more often – probably because it seems complicated. But you’ve convinced me that even an impatient person, like myself, can do it.
The pureed strawberries are a lovely idea! I’ve seen tons of granola recipes, but none with fruit puree. Your granola looks fabulous!
never ever would have thought to do pureed fruit onto my granola!
This sounds so good! I love the flax and wheat germ in there…and I have all ingredients on hand :)
PERFECT!
love love me some granola, strawberry puree..nice touch!!
sweetlife
Yum! I would do almost anything for a bowl of this right now!
OK I just found your site last week and have already made FIVE recipes!! I LOVE it!! And this one looks amazing like all the rest! can’t wait to make it. Thanks for sharing such awesome stuff.
Thank you so much Annie!
Fruit purees are awesome in granola! Love this recipe :)
I looove granola! That looks sooo awesome!!! We don’t get a lot of cereal variety here, so seeing something like this makes me crave it immediately! hahahaha
I love it! i just made some with coconut, strawberries, and almonds i love the idea of the strawberry puree. granola for breakfast is the best wait pancakes too!
I was thinking of making granola this weekend, might give this a try:)
ooh this would be soo good with some chocolate!
Love me some granola…the only beef I have with it is that it’s so high in calories for such a small serving and I can usually eat a whole batch!
Oh man – this looks so good!!
Good idea putting puree in there! I love granola already but this would definitely kick it up a notch. You are so funny with the whole impatience thing. I am totally the same way. I don’t know how many times I’ve burned my mouth eating something straight out of the oven. It says to let it cool, I say NOM NOM NOM.
Oh man, I burn the tastebuds off my tongue and the roof of my mouth EVERY SINGLE WEEK.
Definitely my kind of granola! Yum!
love this one!
I love the idea of adding strawberry puree! I bet you could do this with all kinds of berries too…blueberries, raspberries…even peaches! Sorry, my mind got away from me…
Definitely!
Jessica, I think you have outdone yourself again. Very nice job, love your pictures.
Thanks!
These pictures are beautiful! Seriously, the second to last one is stunning. I say you should take the day off just. Making granola and actually photographing it before it’s all devoured deserves something like that :)
Thank you. :)
The last photo is gorgeous!!! It looks so sticky + crunchy + delicious!! What a fun twist to use strawberry puree. I’ve used mashed banana before and it was delicious….ooooh strawberry banana version? :)
Do it!
mmmmm that is awesome! fruit puree here we come :)
Great recipe! This granola looks lovely.
I love granola! Trying my hand at granola bars today. This looks so good!
This one is on my “need to make immediately” list. I love that you used pureed strawberries – looks fantastic.
Mmmm, looks fabulous again! I like the idea of coating it in a fruit puree.
Have you seen the cocoa roasted almonds? They are soooo good, I wonder if you could taste them in the granola….
Great idea! Love those things.
Believe it or not, I actually have wheat germ and flax seeds in my pantry. You wouldn’t know it from looking at my blog though, LOL.
Delicious! -I need this in my life.