Healthy Homemade Granola

Granola …. sooo good!

Lately, this has become a staple in our house for breakfast and snacks. But not the kind from the grocery store, the homemade kind.

Looking for a simple, yummy, healthy version of granola? Rather than the sugar filled ones in the grocery stores?

I’ve got 2 of our favourites to share - my kids fav and my fav grain-free!

👨‍👦‍👦 KIDS Favourite Recipe

Ingredients

* 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

* 3 cups raw nuts and/or seeds (I use whatever is in my house but a variety is always nice)

* 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt (if you’re using standard table salt, scale back to ¾ teaspoon)

* ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (cinnamon eo swirled in)

* ½ cup melted coconut oil

* ½ cup maple syrup

* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* Totally optional additional mix-ins: ½ cup chocolate chips or coconut flakes or ⅔ cup dried fruit (my kids fav is a few mini M&Ms)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Toss all oats, nuts, seeds in a in food processor until resembles coarse meal or the desired texture you want

3. Combine the oats, nuts and/or seeds mixture with salt and cinnamon. Stir to blend.

4. Pour in the oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Mix well, until every oat and nut is lightly coated. Pour the granola onto your prepared pan and use a large spoon to spread it in an even layer.

5. Bake until lightly golden, about 20 to 24 minutes, stirring halfway (for extra-clumpy granola, press the stirred granola down with your spatula to create a more even layer). The granola will further crisp up as it cools.

6. Let the granola cool completely, undisturbed (at least 45 minutes). Top with the dried fruit (and optional chocolate chips, if using). Break the granola into pieces with your hands if you want to retain big chunks, or stir it around with a spoon if you don’t want extra-clumpy granola.

7. Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks, or in a sealed freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.

💕 MY Favourite GRAIN-FREE Recipe

*2 cups unsalted mixed nuts

*2 egg whites

*Sea salt

*Cinnamon or cassia (you use a drop of essential oil on a toothpick and swirl around)

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Toss all nuts in food processor until resembles coarse meal

3. Add salt & cinnamon, mix well

4. Add egg white & mix well

5. Spread out thinly on parchment paper on baking sheet

6. Bake 8-10 min or until it start to change colour …they can burn quick

7. Let the granola cool completely, undisturbed (at least 45 minutes). Top with the dried fruit (and optional chocolate chips, if using).

8. Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks, or in a sealed freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.

A little about the ingredients and few more tips….

Oats

Heart-healthy, hearty, whole-grain old-fashioned oats keep their shape during baking. Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats if you need gluten-free granola.

Nuts and/or Seeds

I use whatever I have on hand - variety is key in my opinion! Pecans, almond, walnuts, which are rich in Omega-3s, cashews, peanuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.

Unrefined Oil

Oil helps make this granola crisp and irresistible. I prefer unrefined coconut oil which is delicious (you can barely taste the coconut, if at all) and produces the perfect texture.

You can use extra-virgin olive oil instead, if you’d like your granola to be a little more on the savoury side. If you’re watching your saturated fat intake, olive oil is a better choice!

Natural Sweetener

I love using real maple syrup in my granola. Honey works great, too. As a bonus, these natural sweeteners infuse your granola extra-delicious flavour that sugar would not.

Salt and Spice

For flavourful granola, don’t skip the salt! Too little and your flavours won’t sing.

Dried Fruit

Dried fruit lends some extra sweetness, chewy texture and great flavour if you like the dried fruit.

Optional Mix-Ins

We’ve added anything from chocolate chips, to mini M&Ms - these are best added in once everything is cool.

Chunky Granola Tips with the 1st recipe (Kids favourite)

Here are my tips to achieving the best clumps:

• Your oats need to be a little crowded in the pan so they can stick together

• Be sure to line the pan with parchment so the sweetener sticks to your oats rather than the pan.

• Gently press down on the granola with the back of a spatula after stirring the mixture at the half-way baking point. Then put the pan back into the oven to finish baking.

• Lastly, let the granola cool completely before breaking it up

ENJOY!