No more store-bought granola in my pantry. This Easy Healthy Granola may also become your go-to breakfast or lunch from now on. It is so easy and delicious and making it, will fill your kitchen with mouthwatering aroma.
One of my favorite way to have a quick and healthy lunch is yogurt or quark with granola. When I was studying nutrition and dietetics, Bircher Benner muesli was very popular, as well as a fiber rich diet.
I had no problem with that a fiber rich diet; we ate lots of fruit at home, and our bread was always whole wheat. Rarely were we allowed to eat plain white bread as kids. Muesli was for a long time, the only thing I ate at lunch time and I still eat it regularly. Always with yogurt. Cereals, muesli and granola with milk was not my thing. I still prefer yogurt, but milk with do as well.
Granola is a whole lot tastier than muesli and making/baking it is so much easier than you may think. You mix together most of the ingredients, bake them with oil and maple syrup and some spices, add the dried fruit and allow to cool. That’s all.
This Easy Healthy Granola mix consists of extra thick rolled oats, pecans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds or pepitas, allspice, cinnamon, salt and vanilla extract. Additionally, I add maple syrup and olive oil. Mix everything well, so all ingredients are lightly coated with the oil. Now spread it on a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
You can easily use half a small baking sheet. A full baking sheet will spread it too thin and it may burn before you know it. To make sure the entire mix bakes evenly, stir every 10 minutes; total baking time approx. 35 minutes at 350 degrees F.
By stirring the mix you will not end up with no chunky granola clusters. But you like the chunks, gently press down on the granola with the back of a spatula, about half way through the baking time. I like may granola loose; it is much easier to handle.
During the baking, the aroma in your kitchen will be so very nice; an aroma of the cinnamon and allspice, but also of the nuts and seeds that are baking with the maples syrup. As I took the baking sheet out of the oven, my first response was to sample this delicious mixture.
When your mixture is cooled, add the dried fruits. I have dried cherries and cranberries. Taste if you need to add more salt. Salt is important; it brings out the flavors really well.
Variation of this recipe are
- Use coconut oil or a neutral oil instead of olive oil
- Leave out the pecans and the recipe will be nut free
- Try other dried fruits, like raisins, apricot, apple, banana
- Top your bowl with fresh fruits
- Use honey instead of maple syrup
- Adding sugar is an option, especially when you want clusters
Easy Healthy Granola
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup rolled oats extra thick
- 1/2 cup pecan halves roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup dried cherries
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place a silicone baking mat or parchment paper on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Mix oats, pecans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, allspice, cinnamon, salt, vanilla extract, maple syrup and olive oil in a bowl, until well combined.
- Spread granola mixture onto the baking sheet in an even layer.
- Place the baking sheet into the oven and bake for approx. 35 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes, so it bakes evenly.
- Allow to cool and add the dried cherries and cranberries.
- Store in an airtight container for a couple of weeks.
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