Sweet & Salty Olive Oil Granola Clusters

Just reading the title, I'm sure you're probably thinking this: "Granola? With olive oil in it? Ewww. Gross!" But let me just say that it's the furthest thing from being gross! It's actually really, really good and while you only get a hint of the olive oil flavor, it's fruitiness pairs well with the rest of the ingredients!

The combination of both sweet and salty flavors hits your taste buds with an explosion and it's really, really addicting! I make homemade granola quite a bit and up until now, this was my favorite recipe. But I think I've converted and now I'm definitely sold on granola with olive oil in it!

The marriage of salty pistachios and almonds paired with the sweetness of dried berries and olive oil is enough to put you over the edge. But wait! There's more...Top it off with a sweet maple, brown sugar and cinnamon-y glaze and they'll be scooping you up off of the floor after taking a bite! We couldn't keep our hands off of the stuff and while my usual granola recipe doesn't last long around here, I think this one has it beat by a long slide!

Plus, I learned a new trick: how to make your granola cluster! Probably sounds silly, I'm sure, but sometimes I like reaching into the bag and pulling out a cluster to munch on rather than a handful of it loose. If you whip up an egg white and pour it into the mixture, it clusters it like a champ! But if you choose to not, that's fine too, because the loose version is wonderful in a bowl of milk, atop of yogurt or spilled over a heaping scoop of ice cream!

Sweet &Salty Olive Oil Granola Clusters

Ingredients
3 cups of Old-fashioned Oats
1 1/2 cups Pistachios, hulled
1 cup Almonds, roughly chopped
1 cup Sweetened Coconut Flakes
1 cup Dried Fruit
3/4 cup Maple Syrup
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 Egg White

Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the oats, pistachios, almonds, coconut, and fruit; mix well until combined. Add in the maple syrup, olive oil, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon; toss until evenly combined.

In a small glass, whisk the egg white until it becomes frothy and foamy (about 2 minutes). Mix into the granola mixture.

On a baking pan covered with parchment paper, spread the mixture out in an even layer. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, to get evenly browned.

Remove from heat and let cool completely. As it cools, it will begin to harden and form into one large piece. Once it is cooled, using your hands, break up the granola into clusters of your desired size.

Store in an air-tight container or resealable plastic bag.

Yield: 6-8 Servings
Source: Adapted from The Kitchn (originally adapted from The New York Times)