The Best Granola
No really, it is! I apologize in advance when you eat half the batch right after you make it.
Friends, it’s time for a pantry staple; the ultimate yogurt or oatmeal topper, way better
than store-bought, I give you my go-to Granola recipe!
This recipe comes from the book Run Fast, Eat Slow by Shalene Flanagan & Elyse
Kopecky. If you know me personally, you know I’m an avid runner, so I am always
looking for new healthy snacks or ways to fuel properly for training. There are a lot of
great recipes in this book, but this is probably the one I make most often. I buy granola
on the regular to add to my yogurt and oatmeal, but this one is way better than anything
you get at the store. Plus it’s the easiest thing to make! If you’re a granola connoisseur
such as myself, you know that sometimes store-bought granola or even homemade
recipes contain not so great stuff like a ton of added sugar, canola oil, vegetable oil, etc.
This recipe is held together by coconut oil, honey, and blackstrap molasses, which adds
just the right amount of sweetness you need. You can also adjust as you need to by
adding nuts, switching up the dried fruit, or adding other spices you might like better. I
usually use cranberries as my dried fruit, but have used dates before as well.
One batch fills two 32oz mason jars, so (theoretically) it typically lasts a week or two if
you’re just using it a snack or topping. But beware the magical, addictive properties of
this recipe, you’ll definitely be going back for more!
-S
Ingredients:
3 cups rolled oats (or GF oats if sensitive)
1 cup finely shredded unsweetened dried coconut
½ cup shelled pumpkin seeds
½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup raisins or other chopped dried fruit
2 tsps ginger
2 tsps cinnamon
½ tsp fine sea salt
½ cup virgin coconut oil
¼ cup honey
¼ cup blackstrap molasses (more minerals than regular molasses)
Method:
Preheat oven to 275° and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, stir together oats, coconut, pumpkins seeds, sunflower seeds, raisins or dried fruit, ginger, cinnamon, and salt.
In a small microwaveable bowl, stir together coconut oil, honey and molasses and microwave until slightly melted. You could also melt in a small sauce pan over low heat. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir until evenly combined.
Spread a thick layer of granola on the baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, gently stirring every 15 minutes, until lightly browned. It will still be moist at the end of baking, but will become the delicious crunchy goodness once it has cooled completely.
Store in a glass jar at room temperature.