I wanted to share a couple of snack recipes that were a big hit over our Thanksgiving holiday…with both the kiddos and the adults. I always love recipes that please everyone in the family…especially when they are healthy ones!
The first recipe is a version of my favorite Homemade Granola. It’s basically the same recipe that I normally bake…but this time I tweaked it a tad to make it a bit healthier. I removed the oil and replaced it with creamy organic almond butter. I also replaced the refined brown sugar with an unrefined coconut palm sugar.
If you have trouble finding the coconut palm sugar, the brown sugar still works great, and there’s not much in the recipe to begin with so I personally would still consider it a healthy choice. 
Like many other recipes that I’ve tried over the past couple of months, I actually found that I like this granola BETTER without the oil. I’ve been trying anything and everything without any added oil as part of my “Engine 2 Oil-free challenge”...which actually ended almost a month ago…but, I’m still doing the oil-free thing with almost all of my cooking. More often than not I don’t even notice the oil is missing…or, (like with this granola) I like the end result even better without the oil. In this recipe I find that the granola is crispier and clumps together more without the added oil…which I LOVE!! So, this is now officially my FAVORITE granola recipe!
This granola makes a perfect breakfast with a little non-dairy milk and some fresh fruit on top…and it also makes a tasty satisfying snack that my whole family loves! It’s portable, so almost every time we travel I make a double batch to take along with us and it keeps well in an airtight container for weeks!
| A Healthier Granola |
|
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup brown rice syrup
- 2 tablespoons unrefined coconut palm sugar
- 2 tablespoons creamy almond butter
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped almonds
- 1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut
- 1 tablespoon whole flax seeds
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup dried cranberries (or your favorite combo of dried fruit)
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Line a 9×13 baking pan or a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan, combine maple syrup, brown rice syrup, coconut palm sugar, and almond butter.
- Heat over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- In a large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients (except for cranberries) and mix well.
- Pour warm syrup mixture over dry ingredients and mix well with a rubber spatula and keep stirring until everything is thoroughly combined.
- Spread the mixture in the lined pan and bake for 15 minutes – pull the pan out and stir.
- Bake for another 15 min – again, pull the pan out and stir to ensure even baking.
- Bake for another 10 minutes – or until the granola has a fragrant toasty aroma.
- I add the cranberries the last few minutes of toasting…but, you can also add them once the granola has cooled.
- Allow granola to cool completely before serving or transferring to an air tight container.
- Granola will stiffen up as it cools.
- Makes about 5 cups.
I hope you’re all having a fabulous week and that everyone’s staying warm out there! Check back with us this weekend because I’ll be posting the recipe for these divine little treats…Chocolate Coconut Pecan Bars…
How’s that for a teaser photo?!
Health & Happiness ~ Melissa
About Melissa
Melissa,
I can’t wait to try the Granola. It looks and sounds wonderful.
I have a question. I’m looking for an alternative to dairy creamer for my morning coffee. I’ve tried Silk Soy Creamer, but it doesn’t satisfy my taste buds. Any ideas. Thanks.
Hi Charlie, I typically drink Matcha green tea in the morning…with unsweetened hemp milk. On occasion when I do drink coffee I just use a little unsweetened almond milk as creamer and sweeten with a tiny bit of raw agave nectar. I do know that So Delicious makes a coconut milk non-dairy creamer…that one might be worth trying. Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to comment. Have a wonderful weekend!
I love this Melissa I am so making it! And those bars looks good to! You rock.