Homemade granola is always on hand in my kitchen. I usually have a few jars in the cabinet and a bag or two in the freezer. I eat it almost daily.
Granola is one of those confusing health foods, because it can be either wildly healthy or pretty terrible for you depending on the ingredients. I just finished leading a sugar cleanse at one of my corporate clients and was talking a lot about sneaky sugar in foods like granola. If you’re buying it at the grocery store please read the ingredients label very carefully and pass on any brands that include sugar as an ingredient.
Better yet, make your own! Fill it with whole grains, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats for maximum nutritional value.
I love how creative you can be with granola ingredients. My favorite recipe is below, but each batch is unique based on what I have on hand. Play around with flavors and ingredients to find the combination that works best for you.
- 4 cups whole rolled oats
- 4 cups chopped nuts and seeds (almonds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds etc.)
- ¼ cup hemp hearts
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- ½ cup shredded coconut
- ½ cup dried fruit (raisins, currants, cherries, or cranberries)
- ⅓ cup coconut oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2-3 tsp. molasses
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ vanilla
- ¼ tsp. salt
- Combine the oats, nuts/seeds, coconut and mix well.
- In a small saucepan combine the coconut oil, maple syrup, molasses, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt over low heat until they have mixed together well.
- Pour the liquid mixture over the dry oats/nuts and mix until evenly coated.
- Spread the granola in an even layer on two baking sheets.
- Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 – 15 minutes.
- Add the dried fruit when you take the granola out of the oven.
- Let it cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
My favorite way to enjoy granola is sprinkled on my morning oatmeal. It gives the oatmeal a delicious sweet crunch, not to mention a hefty dose of healthy fats and protein. It is also fantastic on yogurt, ice cream, or straight out of the jar!
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