It’s Monday, which means it’s time for Dog Park’s weekly Meatless Monday recipe. This week: Breakfast! (Hat tip to Mark Bittman, whose basic granola recipe this is derived from.)

Orange Ginger Granola

Ingredients:

6 cups rolled oats (not instant or quick cooking)

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup roughly chopped raw pecans

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 dash ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons finely chopped or grated fresh ginger

Zest from one orange

Dash salt

1 cup honey or maple syrup or agave sweetener

1 cup raisins and/or cranberries

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 315 degrees F. Take a large cookie pan and put it on your stovetop over two burners. Set the burners to medium low and spread the oats over it evenly. Cook until fragrant and slightly toasty, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Should take about 3-5 minutes. Add the nuts and cook for another two minutes. (Keep stirring!)

Zest the orange and chop the ginger, then mix both in a large bowl with the sweetener (honey, agave sweetener or maple syrup), cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add the toasted oats and nuts into the bowl as well as the dried fruit and mix thoroughly until all of the oats are coated (more or less).

Spread the mixture evenly over the cookie sheet (use another cookie sheet if necessary). Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Note: Bittman recommends baking for 20 minutes at 300 degrees. I’ve always had to bake it for longer, and have found that a slightly higher temperature helps. But ovens vary, unfortunately, so keep a close eye on the granola while it bakes. Take it out when it’s a nice golden brown. It won’t be crispy yet, but will become so when it cools.

Store in a mason jar, tupperware or other sealed container.