Your Thanksgiving Power Breakfast

Thanksgiving can feel like a steady stream of “cook, cook, cook.” Even those among us who love to turn on the stove can feel like we’ve hit a wall by the time the green beans, creamed onions, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, turkey and pies have tumbled out of the oven’s fiery depths.

You’re going to need energy in order to do all that cooking. Or hosting. Or eating. (Hey, no judgment if you’re the one who just shows up with wine!) Cue the granola, folks. When done right, nothing gets you farther along into your morning without requiring snacks. This particular recipe is killer thanks to a bevy of nuts (walnuts, almonds and cashews all make cameos), which means it packs a satiating protein punch. Dried fruits include apricots and cranberries, which mingle with coconut flakes and maple syrup. Sound too sweet for your taste? Nope: A tiny bit of sesame oil keeps the whole thing wonderfully savory.

Combined with thick, creamy Greek yogurt and a generous swirl of honey, it’s the sort of easy-to-grab, good-for-you granola you want on hand, stashed away, as you peel your way through potato after potato. Best of all, you can make it a week before Thanksgiving, stash it away, and nibble at it to keep you alive until T Day. It’s worlds better than the hunk of cheese you find yourself nibbling on every year; we promise.

Granola with Greek Yogurt and Honey

For the granola:

3 cups (9 oz./280 g.) old-fashioned rolled oats

1/4 cup (1 oz./30 g.) walnuts, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup (1 oz./30 g.) almonds, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup (1 1/2 oz./45 g.) cashew halves

2 Tbs. unsweetened shredded dried coconut

1/4 cup (2 1/2 oz./75 g.) maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml.) sesame oil

1/2 cup (3 oz./90 g.) dried apricots, cut into pieces

1/2 cup (3 oz./90 g.) dried cranberries

2 cups (16 oz./500 g.) Greek-style plain yogurt

2 cups (8 oz./250 g.) mixed berries (optional)

1/4 cup (3 oz./90 g.) honey

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

To make the granola, in a large bowl, stir together the oats, walnuts, almonds, cashews and coconut. In a small bowl, stir together the maple syrup, vanilla and sesame oil. Drizzle the maple syrup mixture over the oat mixture and stir to moisten evenly. Spread the oat mixture on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer.

Bake, stirring about every 7 minutes, until the oats just begin to turn golden, about 30 minutes total. The granola should feel dry rather than moist, but it will not turn crisp until it cools. When the oats are golden, remove from the oven and stir in the apricots and cranberries. Let cool on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Serve the granola with the yogurt and berries, if using, and pass the honey for drizzling over the top. Serves 4.