Tag: Granola

Sapna5 Comments

How to make a Nutty Granola

Homemade granola is the best!  It’s healthy, you know exactly what ingredients are going into it, and there is so much room to play around with it!
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Can you tell I made this one all about the nuts?  I added chopped almonds and pistachios to this granola and it tastes so delicious!  Crunchy and scrumptious, and the girls an I couldn’t stop eating it.

My favorite part of this granola recipe…. it takes 5 minutes to toss the ingredients together and only 20 minutes in the oven!  Yep.  Granola in less than 30 minutes.  It’s possible people!
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If you like this granola recipe, check out my “Date” with Granola recipe.  That is a huge hit in our family too!

What to use in a Nutty Granola?

OATS:  always a basic ingredient, I use the old fashioned as these are the best to bind.  I don’t recommend using the quick oats as they are thinner and (as the name suggests) cook faster which can lead to other ingredients in the granola being partially cooked.

NUTS:  any of your favorites will do.  Cashews, pecans, and walnuts taste great too!  Lately I’ve been on a pistachio and almond craze hence that’s what I used in this one

SWEETENER:  traditionally honey or maple syrup is used.  In this recipe, I changed it to agave.  Any of the three sweeteners work, just substitute it out for a 1:1 ratio.
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What can I eat my granola with?
Make a YOGURT PARFAIT with it

Sprinkle it on some vanilla ICE CREAM

Eat it as CEREAL for breakfast with some milk

Indulge in a little bit as an AFTERNOON SNACK

What do I need to make this granola?
Besides the ingredients, all you need is a mixing bowl, spatula, and a baking sheet.  So simple!

If you like how simple and delicious this granola is, try out some of my other easy recipes:
A “Date” with Granola
Spicy Garlic Hummus
Berry Bake
Breakfast Oat Muffins




Sapna4 Comments

A “Date” with Granola

This recipe has a couple of stories behind it.  The most simplest, my toddler was having issues and I need to find a way for fiber to be in her diet and her to like it! The second story is a bit cuter.
We had been invited for breakfast and a playdate with one of her dearest friends, E.  Her parents had laid out a delicious breakfast for us and part of it was Granola.  I know you’re thinking, this is nice, but cute?  Mmmmmm…… well let me tell you.  E calls granola Crunch Crunch.  My toddler, (like most toddlers), is a monkey see monkey do.  She ate quite a bit that day and a couple weeks later, when I ran into a dilemma of how to incorporate more fiber, I had just the perfect solution.  Yep, her new favorite word – crunch crunch!
Dates is my new fave thing.  I like to snack on that and nuts throughout the day so I don’t eat enough chocolate to get a tummy ache.  Plus, it is loaded with fiber so I knew I needed to include this in my recipe.  The rest, well, was trial and error.  This is a very simple recipe.  Try it!
No seriously, try it! Our house eats it alone, with milk, yogurt, in any form basically because it is that good!
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Chop up some dates

Add in the oats, walnuts, and coconut.  (if you eat a bit of your ingredients along the way – don’t worry! I won’t tell because I’m doing the same!)

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Add the salt, vanilla extract, and olive oil and mix well.  Finally, add in the honey and mix really well.  You want the honey to mix evenly so all the ingredients combine.
Be careful! I got greedy the first time and added too much honey.  I definitely regretted that decision!

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Line a 2inch baking sheet with a silicone mat and spread the granola evenly.  Bake for 15 minutes at 350F.

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Look at how beautifully golden that looks!
Let it cool for about 5 minutes then gently scoop it into an airtight container.  Or, if you are impatient like me, just eat it as soon as it cools and make excuses about tasting it!

I’m hoping my “Crunch Crunch” recipe will join you for breakfast soon!

Here’s the full recipe:

Date Granola

Ingredients:
2c chopped dates
3c Old Fashioned Oats
1c shredded coconut
1c chopped walnuts
2Tbsp honey
3tsp vanilla extract
3/4tsp salt
3/4c EVOO

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Line a 2inch baking sheet with a silicone mat.

In a bowl, combine dates, oats, coconut, and walnuts.  Add in vanilla extract, salt and EVOO.  Mix well.  Add in honey and mix until honey combines with granola.

Spread evenly into baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

When it’s golden brown, pull out of the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving.  Store in an airtight container for future use.

Enjoy!