Healthy, Easy, AND Delicious? Granola Is Life

Granola is life. No, seriously. It’s delicious, it’s healthy, and it’s something most kids will eat. There are very few foods that check all those boxes. Unfortunately, the good stuff is expensive.

photo credit: V. Wise

So make your own! This recipe is stupid easy, and you can adapt it in so many ways. Take out the nuts. Add in pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. Mix it up on the fruit. Substitute cardamom for the cinnamon. GO CRAZY!

photo credit: V. Wise

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats – I personally like Bob’s Red Mill gluten free.
• ½ cup pecan pieces
• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• ¼ cup pistachios
• ¼ cup walnuts
• ¼ cup chia seeds
• ½ cup of coconut flakes* – I used the Bob’s Red Mill unsweetened. Add this in ½ way through baking.
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ cup melted coconut oil
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Optional ½ cup of dried fruit. (If you’re kids are like mine, they won’t want raisins, opt for dried cherries or apples instead.)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees then line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, seeds, salt and cinnamon. Mix well.
3. Add in the coconut oil, honey, brown sugar, and vanilla. Stir to coat all the dry ingredients well. Pour the granola onto your prepared pan and use a wooden spatula to spread it about a ½ inch tall around the pan.
4. Bake for 10 minutes, then add in the coconut flakes and then stir and re-distribute around the pan. If you noticed the edges are getting burned, turn your heat down as ovens vary and you don’t want to burn the granola (that tastes bad).
5. Bake for an additional 10-12 minutes. (Checking the bottom of the granola to make sure it isn’t overcooking).
6. Let granola cool in the pan so that bigger pieces can form.
7. Add dried fruit and store in an airtight container. Lasts 1-2 weeks, but ours is usually gone in a couple of days.

Tag @madeworthy on Instagram if you make this recipe and love it!