From: Wayne Van Akin, Director of Operations, Crowne Plaza Concord, Vineyards Chop House, Concord, CA. Yield: 8 servings.
3 fresh Chilean kiwi, peeled and diced ¼-½"
1 pint fresh Chilean blueberries
3 Chilean persimmon or fresh peaches, peeled, cored, diced ¼"
4 cups organic vanilla yogurt, whipped with 2 oz. organic honey and ½ oz. fresh lime juice
4 cups granola (recipe follows)
Vineyards' Granola (yields 20 servings):
Wet Ingredients:
2 cups canola or grape seed oil
1 cup POM (pomegranate juice)
1 cup molasses
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup honey
1 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. sea salt, finely ground
1½ Tbsp. ground cinnamon
Dry ingredients:
1 cup raw whole macadamia nuts
1 cup halved raw pecans
1 cup raw slivered almonds
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup raw whole sunflower seeds
2 cups raw sesame seeds
¾ cup shredded coconut
¾ cup raw wheat germ
5 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup dried diced tart cherries or cranberries
1 cup dried diced peaches, apricots or pears
Combine wet ingredients in a heavy sauce pot and heat to combine well. Combine wet mixture with first 8 dry ingredients and toss well. Place pan liner (or Silpat®) on cookie sheet and spread mixture evenly. Bake in a 275°F oven (low/no fan) for about 1½ hours or until mix is the color of dark tea. Mixture needs to be removed, stirred/tossed and evened out several times throughout cooking, or every half hour. Pull from oven and toss in dried fruit while still warm. Cool several hours before serving.
