Half-Marathon Training Granola

21 Sep

I’m FINALLY back! All that moving took a lot out of me. Time to fall back in to all this madness…;)

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So, I’m going to level with you: I’m not a runner. I’ll never rarely lie and tell you that.

That’s all about to change. Ok, it’s not going to change at all, but I’m going to fake it. About a month ago, I decided on a whim that I’m going to run a half-marathon, and believe me, I’m as surprised as you are. I know what you’re thinking, but there’s probably no way you’re going to talk me out of it.

What’s that, you say, that’s a ridiculously long distance? Totally. It takes a ton of motivation, endurance, will power, and let’s face it, running? You’re absolutely right. My stubbornness might finally come in handy! You say jump, and I probably won’t ask “how high?”, but you say there’s no chance, and I’ll probably do my darndest to prove you wrong.

And so it begins! I don’t know which half I’d like to sign up for, nor have I chosen a training plan or decided how long it’s going to take me to feel ready to run 13+ miles yet (is forever too long?), so I’ve definitely still got some research to do- any suggestions or tips anyone is willing to offer would be much appreciated! In the mean time, I’m gearing up to include a bunch of half-marathon training-worthy recipes for meals and snacks as I go through the process! Trust me, I’m going to need all the help I can get!

Half-Marathon Training Granola (AKA Berry & tropical preserves granola)

This granola is super yummy and versatile- add in whatever nuts and seeds you like or have on hand.  Also, I loved the snacky clumpy cluster factor I got with less stirring at baking intervals, but you can definitely crumble it down if you like to use it as a cereal or yogurt topping.  Also, this is a doubled recipe…so it makes a lot.

Ingredients:
Dry:
* 4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
* 1 cup puffed rice cereal
* 1 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/2 cup shredded coconut
* 1 cup roughly chopped pecans
* 1 cup raw peanuts
* 1/4 cup flax seeds
* 1/4 cup sesame seeds

Wet:
* 8 Tbsp (1/2 cup) berry preserves (I used marionberry jam)
* 6 Tbsp tropical flavored preserves (I used homemade pineapple orange which was thin)
* 8 Tbsp (1/2 cup) oil (any type of oil will work, I used canola since it was on hand)
* 2/3 cup brown sugar

Mix-ins:
* Cranberries, raisins, any kind of dried fruit you like, any amount you like- I left them out this time, but to be honest, it’s just because I forgot! Oops.

Directions:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. Preheat oven to 325* F.

Stir all of the dry ingredients together in a big mixing bowl.

Mix all of the wet ingredients together in a separate, microwave safe bowl. Microwave for a couple minutes at a time, until boiling.

Pour the wet mixture over the dry and stir to combine well.

Dump the mixture onto the baking sheet and smooth into an even layer. It will be a fairly thick layer if you’re using a standard-sized baking sheet.

Bake 20 minutes, then stir lightly. Bake another 20 minutes, then gently move browner edge portions inward to keep them from burning. Bake an addition 10 minutes or so until golden brown. Don’t overdo it! I didn’t stir much at each interval and ended up with awesome granola clusters!

Let cool on the pan, then break into whatever size clusters you like. Store in an airtight container on the counter for as long as it actually lasts. You could also store it in the freezer if you don’t think you’ll eat it all within a few weeks.

Totally will run for granola 😉

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2 Responses to “Half-Marathon Training Granola”

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