Granola has always been something I love, but hesitate to eat or buy because it’s almost always loaded with unhealthy fats and even more sugar. IT’S SO GOOD THOUGH! Am I not the only one who loves the crunchy, cinnamon-kissed treat that is granola? I’m sure not…
Let’s talk about what makes a good granola – crunch (no question), a little bit of sweet (yes, please), and definitely cinnamon. Are you with me or am I leaving anything out? If a granola has those characteristics, I will almost always like it. What takes a granola over the top for me is when I can get all of those must-haves, without the syrupy sweetness that is almost inevitable in packaged granola.
Now that we’ve got that straight, let’s talk about fat. Nuts and coconut oil, which contribute to nearly all of the fat in my Nutty Cinnamon Granola, fall into the “healthy fats” category. I’ll talk about that in more detail in another post, but for now, just know that eating healthy doses of healthy fats can do wonders for your body, both inside and out. Not only do healthy fats help keep blood sugar levels more even, which helps keep you feeling full and focused for longer than a high carbohydrate meal or snack would, healthy fats have been shown to LOWER your risk for heart disease. I’d say that’s a good reason to fire up your oven and whip up a batch of my Nutty Cinnamon Granola (which, by the way, takes only 10 minutes to do with the help of my trusty food processor!).
This granola is loaded with good-for-you nutrients that will keep you going strong all morning long if you choose it for breakfast. There’s 7 grams of protein per serving, which is as much as an egg has! Plus it has 4 grams of heart healthy, digestive friendly fiber. I love eating it like cereal with my Homemade Vanilla Almond Milk. And, bonus, my kids love it too!
Nutty Cinnamon Granola How To Photos:
I use a food processor to chop the nuts quickly, but if you don’t have one, you can chop by hand! Once the nuts are chopped, add them to a bowl with the oats.
Melt together the coconut oil, honey, cinnamon, and salt.
I use a whisk to stir the mixture so it is well combined.
Pour the honey mixture over the nut mixture and stir to combine.
The nut mixture should be evenly coated with the honey mixture.
Spread granola mixture in an even layer in a 15x10x1-inch (jelly roll) pan.
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until granola is evenly browned…like this.
Crisp, toasty, nutty, cinnamony deliciousness.
Enjoy with milk as a breakfast cereal or sprinkled over yogurt, or on it’s own for a healthy, crunchy snack.
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1 cup pecan halves
- ½ cup shelled raw pistachio nuts
- ½ cup raw sunflower seeds and/or pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1 ½ cups regular rolled oats (old-fashioned)
- 1/4 cup refined coconut oil*
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup honey or pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 325°F. In a food processor** combine almonds and pecans. Cover and pulse several times to coarsely chop the nuts. Add pistachio nuts and sunflower seeds. Cover and pulse several more times or until nuts are to desired size (you can make them smaller or larger depending on your preference). Transfer nuts to a large bowl. Stir in oats.
- In a small saucepan heat coconut oil over medium heat until nearly melted. Whisk in honey, cinnamon and salt. Continue to cook until oil is completely melted and mixture is well combined. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla extract. Pour oil mixture over nut mixture. Stir until well combined. Spread mixture in an even layer in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan.
- Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until mixture is golden brown and looks mostly dry, stirring twice throughout bake time. (Mixture will continue to dry and crisp after it comes out of the oven).
- Spread mixture into an even layer on a large sheet of foil. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 weeks.
- It’s important to start with raw, unroasted, unsalted nuts for this recipe. Feel free to mix and match nuts to your preference – walnuts and even macadamia nuts would taste great here.
- *If you love butter, use half coconut oil and half butter or ghee for this recipe.
- **If you don’t have a food processor, chop the nuts by hand.
- 5 ¾ cups (12 servings – about ½ cup each)
- 296 cals, 7 g pro, 19 g carb, 23 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 6 g sat fat, 4 g fiber, 98 mg sodium
