Cranberry Maple Nut Granola…breakfast of champs!
Granola… the unsung hero of the breakfast world. It’s nutritious, wholesome, hearty, and filling. It’s also super yummy!! This recipe is filled with all kinds of goodness and is easily tweaked according to what you have in your pantry. You can switch out nuts and seeds for other nuts and seeds, you can change the dried cranberries for raisins or any other dried fruit… you get the picture.
This is the formulation that is my favourite and has the ingredients I keep around. There is nothing bizarre in this recipe, it’s simply hearty and wholesome (and delicious). If you’re missing anything, a quick trip to a bulk store to buy just what you need makes this an inexpensive recipe too. You don’t need a $15 bag of almonds just to use a half a cup. Maple syrup lends a richness that is super yummy. The sugar content is fairly high, and you can try to bring it down with other combinations of wet ingredients etc. However, just remember that unlike conventional sugars, maple syrup is actually nutritious, packed with antioxidants, manganese, riboflavin (aka Vitamin B2), and zinc. So although yes it’s a sugar, at least it’s a nutritious sugar!
I like to eat this with a splash of soy milk and some fruit. Another classic combo is with a non-dairy yogurt and fruit. If you have frozen fruit, put some in a bowl and microwave about 20 seconds and then throw your granola and milk or yogurt on top and voila! Breakfast of champs!
The finished product keeps in your cupboard for up to a month!
Cranberry Maple Nut Granola
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil of your choosing
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats not quick cooking
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2-3/4 cup silvered or sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds
- 3/4 cup shredded coconut
- 1 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300'F
- In a measuring cup mix together the syrup, oil, and vanilla. Set aside.
- In a small bowl mix together the coconut and cranberries. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl mix together the oats, pecans, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, almonds, and sunflower seeds.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the oats mixture and stir well to combine (do not add the cranberries/coconut yet).
- Pour the oats mixture out into TWO cookie sheets and spread evenly.
- On two racks, bake for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, remove from oven and stir the cranberries/coconut into the pans.
- Return the pans to the oven, switching the racks the pans were on.
- Bake 15 more minutes (keep an eye on it after 10).
- The granola is done when is just beginning to get a bit golden.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan. It will firm up as it cools.
- Store in an airtight jar or container for about a month
If you make this recipe, please rate and comment below! Thanks! 🙂
Breakfast anyone?
