My homemade granola recipe has been a staple in my home for years. I’ve given it away to teachers, as a hostess gift, and for new mothers. However, it’s time to share how I’ve given my tried and true recipe a face lift.
Ever since I worked through the culinary nutrition expert program this fall, my tastes have changed. I eliminated all processed sugar and instead rely on natural sweeteners for the majority of my baking these days. What does this mean? Well, we go through a lot of maple syrup and honey. Real Canadian maple syrup and raw, unpasteurized honey to be exact. These two powerhouse sweeteners do the trick, plus they provide us with some health benefits too.
Making my own granola was one of the first ways I started cooking from scratch when I became a parent. As I started reading through cereal labels, I didn’t like what I was reading. My granola was a way to take a break from store-bought cereals and avoid damaged oils (like canola/sunflower/safflower) and also skip the preservatives. What it didn’t do was reduce the amount of sugar to a level I’m now comfortable with.
One note about oats. I have learned that oats are often heavily sprayed with pesticides. I look for organic oats whenever possible…even better is when I can find gluten-free, organic oats. (But it’s often quite tough!) You can get it from Amazon currently in the US, here.
In the new granola recipe, the flavor is amazing and you can doctor it up to make it your own. Sometimes we eliminate the nuts so I can send it with yogurt as a school lunch. (My kids get so sick of sandwiches.) It’s a healthier version of the original recipe with less sugar, plus Omega 3’s! Both walnuts, and flaxseeds added at the end of the baking, contain Omega 3’s. This mighty essential fatty acid is an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory. Chronic inflammation is a problem so many people are dealing with and I love adding health-supporting anti-inflammatories whenever possible.
Ingredients
- 3 cups gluten free oats large flakes or old fashioned
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
- 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds pepitas
- 1 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup coconut flakes raw
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup raw honey
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
- 1 cup unsweetened dried fruit optional
- 3 tablespoons flax seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine oats, chopped nuts, seeds, coconut, cinnamon, and salt.
- In a small saucepan, melt honey, maple syrup, coconut oil and molasses. Add melted wet ingredients to the bowl of oats and stir to combine.
- Pour granola onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in oven for 45 minutes total, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Add flax seeds and cranberries, stir to combine.
- Store in an airtight container once cooled completely.
I hope you enjoy the updated version of my healthy, homemade granola. It truly is one of our favorite things to bake as a family and I hope it will become a tradition in your home too. Next up I’ll have to update my post on How to Make Your Own Yogurt. Till then, happy baking!
