Several years ago, I was sick with the flu and had to stay home from work. In the midst of my misery, I had a moment of hope when I climbed out from under a pile of blankets and Kleenex to try to lift my spirits. Granola was the only thing I knew would help me. It’ss always been my favorite because of its sweetness and heartiness. It’ss 16 times more nutritious than cereal in a box, so you can eat less and still feel satisfied.It’ss perfect for yogurt parfaits.
On a sunny and chilly day in winter, I mustered up the energy to bake a batch of cookies. This is the original recipe that I still use today. The sweet scent of granola filled the air as I stood in the kitchen, wrapped in blankets that were fashioned into an oversized dress. Many friends convinced me to discard my furry slippers. Even though I was still groggy after my medication, I had the thought: “Wouldn’tt it be great if I could stay at home all day and bake granola?” Although that dream hasn’t been fully fulfilled, my role as a Minimalist Baker is getting me closer. Thanks for following us and tagging along. You guys are awesome e. It’ss fun to experiment with the ingredients when I make recipes like this. I feel like a mad scientist, only with a spatula and a Pyrex instead of a flask and tongs. This batch was made with cocoa powder, pecans, and coconut oil instead of canola. It smelled like heaven and was sweet enough. The mixture was half wild and half oats.
This granola will likely be gone by the time you finish reading this post (#momentofsilence). It was delicious while it lasted, and I will be making another batch of granola soon, whether or not it is a sick day.
Ingredients
- Three cups of rolled oats are gluten-free (for GF eaters).
- Unsweetened Coconut Flakes – 1/2 cup
- 1 cup almonds
- Pecans – 1 cup
- 1/4 cup dried craisins or other dried fruits
- 3 Tbsp Sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Ground cinnamon, 1/2 tbsp
- Cocoa powder – 1 tbsp ( optional )
- 1/4 cup extra virgin Coconut Oil
- Honey (substitute maple syrup or agave if vegan)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 340 degrees F (171 C).
- In a large bowl, combine the oats with coconut, cinnamon sugar, cocoa, salt and nuts.
- Warm the coconut oil and honey in a small pan over low heat. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir well.
- Spread the mixture evenly on a baking tray (may require two batches or more if you increase the batch size). Bake for 20-25 mins. Stirring a little near the halfway mark. Coconut oil helps this granola crisp nicely but watch it closely as it can brown quickly.
- The craisins should be added to the baking tray in the final few minutes so that they do not get too hard.
- Remove the granola from the oven once it is a golden brown color (mine took about 23 minutes). Scoop the cooled granola into a large bowl. It should last for several weeks if you store it in an airtight container.