Fennel Pollen Granola

It's time for the boys' school's annual holiday fund drive. What does that have to do with my culinary adventures? Well, it has to do with me getting breakfast on the table and out the door 20 minutes early. Twenty minutes might not seem like a lot of time, but when your morning routine is a well-oiled machine - that sometimes requires yelling to get the boys to stop dilly-dallying - 20 minutes is significant. Even five minutes upsets my schedule.

So, I decided to whip up a batch of granola that Jake can pour into a bowl and get them to eat while I stand out in the cold, explaining to parents that art, music, drama, Spanish language enrichment, and PE are not paid for by the State of California; all of those "extras" are covered by family donations to the school. The goal this year is $80,000 this week. Wish me luck...and let's hope the boys don't tire of granola till at least Wednesday!

Here goes...no time to take and upload photos this morning, but here's a shot from my Cacao Nib-Coconut Granola to tempt you.

4 C rolled organic oats

1/2 C sugar in the raw

1 C organic unsweetened flaked coconut

1 C raw sliced almonds

1/3 C olive oil

3 T raw honey

1 t fennel pollen

1 T fennel seeds

2 t pure vanilla extract

In a large bowl mix everything thoroughly till all of the dry ingredients are completely coated and glisten. Spread this evenly on a parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake at 315º for about 30 minutes until slightly golden brown. Don’t stir during baking. Cool completely and break into pieces. Store in an air tight container.

Linked this to Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen's Manic Monday #21 Linky Party!

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