Hi there, it’s me again. Ready for some food inspired art? OK, cool. This week’s Fine Art Friday inspiration is granola. Real talk: making art about granola was rough. I had to dig real deep to come up with this one. The granola, on the other hand, is like a sweet and salty dream that couldn’t be easier to put together.

The star of this granola is the garam masala, an Indian spice blend typically made of coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, and nutmeg. You may also see versions with bay leaf, fennel, or ginger. There’s only two teaspoons used in this recipe, so don’t worry about your granola tasting like last night’s Indian takeout. Think of it as a big warm spicy hug for your morning yogurt.

Garam Masala Granola

Ingredients:

3 C rolled oats

1/3 C raw almonds

1/3 C raw pistachios

1/3 C unsweetened coconut flakes

1/4 C sweetened shredded coconut

1/4 C flax seeds

2 Tbsp black sesame seeds

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1/4 C honey

1/3 C olive oil

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp garam masala*

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 C chopped dried apricots

1/4 C chopped crystallized ginger

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients except the dried apricots and crystallized ginger. Stir until everything is fully mixed. Spread onto a large parchment lined baking sheet. Cook in oven for 40-45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. The granola should be a deep amber color, but not burned. Let cool completely, then add in dried apricots and crystallized ginger. Mix until evenly distributed. Store in an airtight container.

*Special note: Know your garam masala! My spice blend is mild and fragrant, but yours may have a little kick to it. Give it a taste before using, and if you’re unsure, pumpkin pie spice would be a fine substitute. But seriously, use the garam masala.