Who here loves granola?! It is the perfect topping for many different meals such as yogurts, or smoothie / acai bowls. You can also eat it with your favorite type of milk, as a cereal! When eaten in moderation, granola is an excellent source of fiber, heart healthy fats, and protein. Homemade granola is tastier, healthier, and cheaper than store bought granola. Making your own granola in the kitchen is easy and inexpensive. At Belle Surf Cafe, we make all of our very own granola, and if you love it so much, we also sell it! I am going to share a healthy homemade granola recipe. The best part? You can choose your favorite ingredients!
Healthy granola ingredients
Oats
Heart-healthy, hearty, old-fashioned oats keep their shape during baking. There is also certified gluten-free oats if you need to make this gluten-free.
Unrefined oil
The oil is what helps make granola crispy and delicious. Unrefined coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil works perfectly. If you are keeping an eye on your saturated fat intake, olive oil is the better one to use.
Natural Sweetener
Real maple syrup is delicious! Or, you may also use honey. These natural sweeteners infuse into your granola the way that sugar would not be able to do.
Salt & spice
If you would like flavorful granola, do not skip the salt! Salt helps bring out the different flavors. Fine-grain sea salt, Himalayan salt, or regular salt will all do just fine. Adding cinnamon gives a subtle warming to the granola taste.
Dried Fruit
Dried fruit will add to the different types of textures, a little bit of extra sweetness, and a fruity flavor! I like to use dried cherries at home for mine.
Other add ins
Chocolate chips or cacao powder, unsweetened coconut flakes, or nuts / seeds (I like to add almonds).
Tips & Tricks
-Make sure that your oats are crowded in the pan, but not so crowded that they won’t toast evenly.
-Add parchment paper to the pan so that the sweetness sticks to your granola, instead of on the pan.
-For extra clumpy granola, half way through baking after your stir the mixture, press down onto the granola with the back of the spatula.
-Bake until the granola is golden on top. It will continue to crisp once you take it out of the oven.
-Let it cool until storing
Ingredients:
-4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
-1 1/2 cup raw nuts and / or seeds
-1 teaspoon salt of your choice
-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-2/3 cup dried fruit, chopped if large
-Add ins 1/2 cup of each
How to make:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, nuts / seeds, salt and cinnamon.
- Add in the oil, maple syrup or honey, and vanilla. Mix well until everything is evenly coated. Pour granola onto baking sheet
- Bake until golden (20-25 minutes) and stir halfway through
- Let the granola cool, and then add your additional ingredients such as coconut flakes, chocolate chips, or dried fruit.
- Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature. This will be good for 1-2 weeks. If you would like to store it longer, you can seal into a freezer bag and put in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Well, there is your very own, customizable, healthy homemade granola recipe! We hope that you enjoy it as much as we do. I definitely recommend trying our yogurt bowls or smoothie bowls, as we top them with our special granola. Bon apetit!