I started making my own granola about two years ago and haven’t looked back since. Homemade is cheaper, more healthful, and delicious – once you start making it yourself, you will never want to go back to store bought again.
I modified this recipe from Martha Stewart. If you like to get creative, this is a good place to start. Feel open to add/change ingredients to suit your tastes. I make this on a weekly bases now, and experiment freely with what ingredients I have in the moment.
Eater’s Tip: I find many people are wary of granola because it has a higher calorie content than cereal. And while that is true, the issue comes with treating it like cereal – filling up your bowl first. My advice, use it as a garnish. Fill your bowl with fruit – berries, chopped apple or banana – whatever you like – and then top with granola and a few spoonfuls of plain whole yogurt.
- 4 cups rolled oats
- ½ cup roughly chopped almonds
- ½ cup roughly chopped cashews
- ½ cup raw sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup raw sesame seeds
- ½ cup raw coconut oil or good quality butter
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- ¼ dried cranberries (or whatever dried fruit you prefer)
- Sprinkle of cinnamon
- Dash of nutmeg
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees
- Lightly toast dried cranberries and coconut flakes together in dry skillet or in toaster oven until coconut flakes are golden brown. (Coconut burns easily so keep an eye out. I've scorched my fair share).
- In a large bowl, combine oats, almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds.
- In small sauce pan over low to medium heat melt butter or coconut oil and honey until melted, stirring frequently.
- Transfer butter/honey mixture to oat mixture and stir to combine.
- Transfer contents to baking sheet, spreading mixture evenly.
- Bake for 35 to 40 min until golden brown.
- Allow to cool and then transfer to large bowl and toss in cranberries and coconut flakes. Store in airtight container.
- Makes 6.5 cups