If there’s one recipe I knew I needed to have in my arsenal, it was a good homemade granola recipe. It’s the stereotypical “healthy crunchy” food, I know, but such a fun staple to keep in the house. I love it for breakfast as much as I do for afternoon snacks over yogurt.
We don’t eat cereal or granola regularly, because most brands you find in the supermarket are super processed, low in nutrients, and filled with sugar. I’m constantly amazed by how much sugar even the so-called “healthy” brands have.
But I love the crunch and heartiness of a good “real foods” granola, and so I was determined to make my own. My version is packed with whole grains, lots of nuts and seeds, and no-sugar-added dried fruit. This recipe is the result of lots of research and testing, and I can assure you — it was so worth the wait! This is my holy-grail granola recipe — great for hungry, active people who need lots of nutrients and good food on the go.
If you try it, let me know what you think! I’ve been giving this to everyone I know by the jarful!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ½ cup quinoa, uncooked, rinsed
- 1 cups raw almonds, chopped
- ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup raw sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup hemp seeds
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed
- 2 tbsp. coconut oil, plus more for greasing
- ⅓ cup honey
- ½ cup unsweetened dried cherries
- ½ cup unsweetened dried blueberries
- ½ cup almond butter
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325º F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine oats through flaxseed, and stir thoroughly so everything is mixed well.
- In a small saucepan, combine coconut oil and honey and heat until the coconut oil is melted. Whisk the mixture to form your “glaze.”
- Pour glaze over the grain and seed blend, and stir until all dry ingredients are evenly coated.
- Spread mixture onto the lined baking sheet, and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned and golden.
- While the grain and seed mixture is in the oven, lightly grease an 8 1/2 x 11″ rectangular baking tin with coconut oil and set aside.
- Remove mixture from the oven, let cool a few minutes, and then toss with dried cherries and blueberries. Next, stir in the almond butter and mix thoroughly — again, making sure nearly all ingredients are coated. Use your hands if needed.
- Press mixture into the baking tin and let sit covered for a few hours or overnight, until hardened and all the flavors have melded together.
- Enjoy!
