One of our favorite events every summer is The Sylvia Center’s Farm-to-Table dinner, hosted by Great Performances in the fields of Katchkie Farm in Kinderhook, N.Y. The mission of The Sylvia Center is to inspire young people and their families to eat well through hands-on learning experiences on the farm and in the kitchen. Jenn So, director of programs at The Sylvia Center, offers us recipes the teenagers are learning to make.
Granola is one of the easiest breakfasts to make at home and surprisingly more cost efficient than store-bought varieties. You can make a large batch and keep it in an airtight container for weeks. The best part is that you can adjust the baking time to suit your tastes — for a crunchier granola, bake for longer. If you like more clusters, you can add more honey and brown sugar. Our students love eating this granola over yogurt or a baked pear.
Crunchy Cranberry Granola
Yields about 5 cups
3 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup dried cranberries
1. Preheat oven to 375˚F.
2. Over medium heat, combine oil, sugar and honey in a saucepan until sugar is dissolved. Add vanilla.
3. Combine oats, nuts, seeds, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
4. Add the liquid mixture to the oat mixture and combine.
5. Transfer oat mixture to a large baking sheet and spread evenly.
6. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring the oats occasionally. If you prefer chewier granola, or VERY crunchy granola, you can adjust the baking time.
7. Cool granola on a cooling rack until completely cool. Add dried fruit.