This recipe is my viewers and clients favorite to date! I regularly make a batch of this every few weeks for our kitchen. There are so many yummy bags of (expensive) granola you can purchase from the store but more often than not they contain way too much sugar and nonsense ingredients. This recipe is a breeze to throw together and the best part is that it warms the house up with a warm, tasty scent!
Ingredients:
3 cups rolled oats*
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup crushed nuts and/or seeds**
1/4 cup (melted) coconut oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch sea salt
1 large handful organic raisins or dried fruit of your choice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients together well in a large bowl (just leave out raisins or dried fruit).
Spread onto a baking sheet (parchment paper makes for easy clean up).
Bake for 10 minutes, then stir. Bake for another 10 minutes, then stir. Bake for 5 more minutes, then remove from oven and stir in raisins or dried fruit.
Allow granola to cool before transferring to a large glass jar.
Cooled granola can be left in a jar on your counter top or in your fridge for a few weeks.
Notes: Depending on the season I will play with spices/dried fruit so in the fall I love using pumpkin spice with dried figs, in the winter I’ll use cardamom/cinnamon/nutmeg and fresh ginger, and in the summer I’ll throw in dried banana slices at the end. Have fun with it!
**Opt for organic oats, as conventionally grown oats in the U.S. are often sprayed with glyphosate (a chemical herbicide) just before harvest. Organic oats are grown without synthetic pesticides. Glyphosate has been linked to potential health risks, including hormone disruption and an increased risk of certain cancers, so it’s best to avoid it when you can. My preferred brand is One Degree because their oats are glyphosate-free and gluten-free. I purchase it in bulk from our local Costco.
**My favorite crushed nuts/seeds in this recipe are any or some cashews, sliced almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and pecans. I’ll even stir in some sesame seeds! Adjust to what you prefer, and obviously eliminate nuts if there is an allergy issue – you can just add in another 1/2 cup of oats to replace them.