For my birthday last year, a friend of mine made me granola. It came nicely packed in a jar along with the recipe. At first, I wasn’t sure I loved it but by the time I worked my way through the jar, I was hooked. So I started making it and haven’t stopped since.
I love granola on top of my oatmeal. It adds the perfect sweetness and crunch along with other items like nuts, dried fruit, and blueberries (when in season). Granola also makes the perfect snack and a nice topping on yogurt or smoothies (for the kids).
I’ve made some adaptations to this recipe originally posted on Gimme Some Oven as The Best Healthy Granola. Instead of coconut oil, I use olive oil and I add more nuts. If I don’t have chia seeds, I’ll use flax meal. Really, you can do anything with the recipe you want. I also skip the dried fruit step.
Now I get why people make their own granola. I just can’t go back to store-made. And I’ve started giving granola as gifts too.
If you don’t make granola, give this recipe a try. You just might get hooked.
- 4 cups old fashioned oats
- 1½ cups slivered almonds
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ cup olive oil (or melted coconut oil)
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup unsweetened flaked coconut
- ½ cup dried fruit (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl add almonds, chia seeds, cinnamon, and salt and stir.
- In a smaller bowl, mix oil, honey, and vanilla. Pour over oat mixture and stir until combined.
- Spread granola on the baking sheet and bake 10 minutes and then stir.
- Bake 5 more minutes, remove and add coconut flakes. Bake another 5 minutes or until granola is lightly toasted.
- Cool at room temperature and add fruit if desired.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Is the first ingredient supposed to be old fashioned oats?
Oh yes! thanks for pointing that out. I just changed it.
Is there anything I can use instead of the flaked coconut, or can I just leave it out?
I would just leave it out.