If you've read a few of my posts or checked out my recipe page, you know that I'm a big fan of making foods from scratch instead of purchasing pre-made versions. Granola is no exception. Granola is an interesting food item in that it's often thought of as a "health" food, but tends to be very high calorie and also high in sugar (as you know from some of my previous posts, I don't worry so much about the fat side of things). Anyway, not only do most store-bought granolas tend to be pretty sugary and often packed with weird ingredients like "soy protein isolate", the "better" ones also tend to be REALLY expensive. So, I figured I should just do what I usually do when I want something that's too expensive to buy on a regular basis - make it myself!
The first time I made it, I didn't really pay attention to how much of anything I was using, since I was kind of just winging it and seeing how it turned out. But, it was soooo good, that I made it again this weekend and actually measured -- yea, me! This granola has just a light touch of sweetness. I love putting it on some plain Greek yogurt with a drizzle of maple syrup and some fresh diced green apple. If you're using about a 1/4 cup as a "serving", you're looking at a little under 120 calories, and less than 2g of sugar (I'm not a calorie-counter, but I wanted to make sure you had a comparison point for this recipe vs. a store-bought option!).
Granola
makes about 2 cups, or 8-1/4c servings
3/4 c. oats
1/3 c. walnut pieces
1/3 c. pecan pieces
3 Tbs pumpkin seeds (I used raw)
1 Tbs chia seeds
1-2 tsp shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp turmeric (optional)
1/8 tsp nutmeg
sprinkle of salt
1/2-1 tsp sugar (I used coconut sugar, but cane or regular will work just fine)
1-2 tsp maple syrup
Preheat your oven to 275*F. In a medium bowl, add all of your ingredients and mix/toss with a spatula until well mixed and evenly coated in the maple syrup. Spread into a thin, single layer onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking and stirring periodically until the mixture is dry. I pinch a few pieces in between my fingers; if it's still moist, keep baking. Once baked, let cool and then pour into an air-tight container -- I like using a canning/mason jar -- and store until ready to use.
Granola
makes about 2 cups, or 8-1/4c servings
3/4 c. oats
1/3 c. walnut pieces
1/3 c. pecan pieces
3 Tbs pumpkin seeds (I used raw)
1 Tbs chia seeds
1-2 tsp shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp turmeric (optional)
1/8 tsp nutmeg
sprinkle of salt
1/2-1 tsp sugar (I used coconut sugar, but cane or regular will work just fine)
1-2 tsp maple syrup
Preheat your oven to 275*F. In a medium bowl, add all of your ingredients and mix/toss with a spatula until well mixed and evenly coated in the maple syrup. Spread into a thin, single layer onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking and stirring periodically until the mixture is dry. I pinch a few pieces in between my fingers; if it's still moist, keep baking. Once baked, let cool and then pour into an air-tight container -- I like using a canning/mason jar -- and store until ready to use.