Nothing says "get up and at it" like this hearty, nutty granola! Use as cereal or on top of yogurt with fresh fruit. Jam packed full of goodness, this recipe is easy to customize depending on the flavors you and your crew enjoy. I use all raw, unsalted organic nuts and seeds.
* UPDATE *
In an effort to cut as much sugar out of my diet as I can realistically stand, I have been making this granola without the brown sugar...and I really like it! So feel free to eliminate it. As with many recipes, I've been modifying this one over the years and my final go-to recipe is a bit more streamlined than the original. This new recipe focuses on the nuts and seeds I really love, and I find that maple syrup is easier to work with than honey (and bonus, it's vegan). And I've lengthened the time between stirring to make life easier. This recipe is very adaptable so feel free to make it your own. And don't forget to try it with homemade oat milk - delicious!
NEW RECIPE
Ingredients
4 C oats
1 1/2 C raw nuts (any combination), chopped (almonds, cashews, pecans)
pinch salt
1 T chia seeds
1 T hemp hearts
1/8 C raw pumpkins seeds (pepitas)
1/3 C oil (I use olive or grapeseed)
1/3 C maple syrup
1/4 C water
1/2 T vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 300F.
In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, chia seeds hemp hearts, pepitas and salt. In a separate bowl, combine oil, maple syrup, water and vanilla. Add wet ingredient to dry and mix thoroughly. Spread onto a greased baking pan (I use an oil mister and love it!).
Bake for 25 minutes, then stir. Bake for another 25 minutes; add raisins and stir. Finally, bake for another 10 minutes OR if you want to save energy, just turn off your oven after placing the baking sheet in and allow to cool.
Store in airtight container.
ORIGINAL RECIPE
Ingredients
4 C oats (old fashioned)
1/2 C wheat germ
1/2 C almond meal
1/4 C hazelnuts, crushed
1/4 C raw cashews, chopped
1/4 C pecans, chopped
1/4 C walnuts, chopped
1/4 C slivered almonds
1/8 C pumpkin seeds
2 T chia seeds
1/4 t cinnamon
1/2 C brown sugar
1/3 C oil (I like walnut but any kind is fine)
1/3 C honey
1/2 C water
3T vanilla extract
1C raisins
Directions
Preheat oven to 300F.
In a large bowl, combine oats through brown sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil, honey, water and vanilla. Add wet ingredient to dry and mix thoroughly. Spread onto a greased baking pan. Bake for 1 hour; stirring every 15 minutes. The last 10 minutes, add raisins.
Cool on wire rack. Store in airtight container.
SUBSTITUTIONS: It's almost impossible to mess up this recipe! Cater it to what you and your family like or what you have on hand. If you like certain nuts, include them and remove the ones you don't like. Feel free to add dried coconut or use coconut oil in place of the walnut if you want a creamier granola. Use any combination of mixed berries and incorporate fresh dates if you'd like. Use any variety of small seeds in place of the chia seeds or combine chia with other seeds, such as flax or hemp, to equal 2T. IF you'd like to learn more about the benefits of seeds, Real Simple published a great guide.
