Quinoa Granola

Another Foodgawker find.

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup dry quinoa, rinsed and spread out to dry slightly
1/3 cup chopped almonds
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries, or a mixture)

Preheat oven to 300. In a large bowl combine oats, quinoa, almonds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds. Set aside.

Stir together applesauce, cinnamon, vanilla, and honey. Taste and add more honey or cinnamon as needed. Pour over oat mixture and stir to moisten all of the ingredients. Spread the mixture onto a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake for 40 – 50 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until granola is golden and crunchy. Remove from oven and stir in dried fruit. Let cool before serving.

*Because of the quinoa, this granola is best for sprinkling on yogurt (or eaten some other way with a spoon) - it's just too fine and crumbly. I prefer to eat granola on it's own without a utensil, so I added close to half a cup of peanut butter and an egg white to the liquid ingredients. This held the dry ingredients together better, yielding more "clusters" vs. crumbs. Also, I discovered eating uncooked quinoa can give you a stomach ache if you don't drink any water with it. So be sure to drink up if you enjoy this granola!