Raw Food/Real World Granola

This weekend we made phenomenal Cranberry Maple Granola from the awesome raw food book Raw Food/Real World. It is SO tasty and addictive and I cannot wait to make more. After a year of hemming and hawing, last month we finally broke down and bought a dehydrator and this recipe has already made it so worthwhile.

Cranberry Maple Granola (Raw)
From Raw Food/Real World, page 269
Yields about 10 cups

1 apple
1½ cups date paste (I used whole dates)
½ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons orange zest
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons sea salt
½ cup sunflower seeds, soaked 2 hours or more
2 cups almonds, soaked 4 hours or more
3 cups pecans, soaked 2 hours or more
1 cup pumpkin seeds, soaked 2 hours or more
1 cup dried cranberries
1. In a food processor, place the apple, date paste, maple syrup, lemon juice, orange zest, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and ¼ cup of the sunflower seeds and grind until completely smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

2. Add the remaining ¼ cup sunflower seeds, the almonds, pecans, and pumpkin seeds to the food processor. Coarsely chop the nuts and seeds in a few quick pulses. Add them to the bowl with the apple mixture, add the cranberries and combine well

3. Spread the granola on lined dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 115 degrees for 6-8 hours. Flip the granola over onto the screens and peel away the liners. Continue dehydrating for another for 8 to 12 hours more, or until the granola is crunchy. Break into pieces and, once completely cooled, store in a airtight container. To maintain freshness longer, store the granola in the refrigerator for up to a few weeks.