I just scoured other blogs of mine to see if I had ever made a granola-recipe post — and as it turns out, I have. However, I can see there are some differences between what I did before, and what I did *just today*, and I assure you, today’s recipe is FAR. MORE. SWELL.
I can’t say it’s the healthiest, but it has to be healthier than the ones in the grocery store. Right?
INGREDIENTS
- 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1.5 cups of nuts, seeds, etc.
- 2/3 to 3/4 cups of dried fruit
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- a smattering of spices: nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, etc.
- some salt
- topping of cacao nibs
INSTRUCTIONS
- Crank that oven up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit!
- Take a large cookie sheet (not a flat one) and line it with silicone.
- Grab a bowl and combine oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, salt and spices.
- I layered it first before mixing it; first oats, the nuts and seeds, then the fruit, and then the spices and salt. I used allspice, cinnamon, cloves, orange zest and nutmeg on top of dried Montmorency cherries, blueberries, golden raisins, sunflower seeds and unsalted peanuts. I scooped the mixture up, around, down and beyond with a rice spatula to combine the dry ingredients.
- Pour in oil, vanilla and maple syrup. Using the spatula, continue to mix it up! Make sure the oats are all covered with wetness and spices.
- Take the oat mixture and spread it across the cookie sheet. Smooth it over with your spatula, trying to make it an even, thinnish layer. (About 1/4 thick.)
- Place it in the oven, set your timer for 11 minutes. Take the mixture out, and mix it up and around and down and over on the cookie sheet. Please don’t burn yourself. Place it back in the oven for 10 minutes. Take the mixture out again, mix it up again, and then place it back inside the oven for another 11 minutes.
- Remove it from the oven. If you’re adding cacao nibs, let it cool for about a minute or so before taking the nibs all across the layer, pressing them gently into the mixture with your spatula. It should not melt.
- Let it cool completely before storing it. It should have pieces that break off in clumps, and a bunch of looser pieces. I used glass storage for my mixture and will *only* put it in my fridge if I feel like it’s losing some of its freshness. Otherwise, I’ll keep it tightly secured on my counter until the entire amount is eaten! The next time I make this mixture, I will be freezing some for future use.
You can also use coconut flakes, other types of nuts, chocolate, pepitas — choose your own adventure, every single time.
This granola is great for a snack, for mixing with yogurt, or for whatever you need it for.
Happy Munching!
Swellness Vibes 