In the spirit of slow Saturday mornings, today I’m sharing the granola recipe I can’t stop making. A little backstory on why I love this recipe so much:
It comes from the Run Fast Eat Slow cookbook, which is all about recipes that aren’t just healthy, but full of whole foods that nourish your body and help you feel your best. I wish we had this cookbook when I was growing up—don’t get me wrong, my parents are both incredible chefs and they consistently whipped up nutritious, delicious meals for my siblings and me, but by the time my younger sister got to high school sports, everyone in my family understood so much more about food. Instead of plain cereal for breakfast, my sister would make sure she ate a nutrient-dense meal that would keep her energy levels up for school during the day and help her perform well in a cross country race later that night. It’s those little changes that make such a big difference!
You won’t find any refined sugar in this granola recipe, just some light sweetness from mineral-rich blackstrap molasses. Keep in mind this is the base recipe—you can adapt it however you like. For example, I don’t really like raisins, so I’ll usually swap in cashews or more pumpkin seeds. As for toppings, I love eating it with yogurt and fresh fruit, chia seeds or flax seeds. I should also mention that your house will smell amazing while it’s in the oven. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (I like to use the gluten-free oats from Trader Joe’s, but regular rolled oats work fine, too)
- 1 cup finely shredded unsweetened dried coconut (usually found in the baking aisle)
- 1/2 cup shelled pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/3 cup virgin coconut oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup blackstrap molasses (you can also buy this at Trader Joe’s!)
Steps:
- Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, raisins or dried cranberries, ginger, cinnamon and salt.
- In a small microwaveable bowl, stir together the coconut oil, honey and molasses and microwave on low until slightly melted (editor’s note: be wary of explosions!). You can also melt these ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir until evenly combined.
- Spread the granola in a thick layer on the baking sheet. Bake, stirring gently every 15 minutes, until lightly browned, about 45 minutes. The granola will be slightly moist at the end of baking, but it will morph into crunchy goodness as it cools.
- Store in a tightly closed container at room temperature. The granola will stay fresh for several weeks, though I doubt it will last that long.
Topping ideas:
- Bananas or fresh berries
- Chia seeds
- Flax seeds
- Peanut or almond butter
- Bee pollen
- I’ll also use the granola as a topping for smoothie bowls—yum!
Happy Saturday!
Xo, Carolyn
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