This post is a part of Sprig & Vine’s #100daysofSummer program: your warm weather guide to eat well, drink up, cool down, and chill out. Expect easy breezy recipes, hydration 101, wellness tips, and healthy living ideas all summer long.
There’s no doubt that granola is seriously addictive, for just snacking plain by the fistful, and with yogurt or milk. The good news is that granola is rich in fiber and iron, with a healthy dose of unsaturated fats and some protein from nuts. The bad news is that almost all store-bought granola is also packed with scoops of sugar, made with hydrogenated and palm oils, and contain bits of candy in the name of nutella and chocolate. When you’re consuming bowls full of this kind of granola, you’re not snacking healthy at all.
I’m sure there are brands out there that are making granola free from all this junk, but honestly, making granola at home can’t be simpler. It’s the best way to know exactly what’s going into your snack, and the recipe is super adaptable.
Just follow this basic ratio:
3 cups oats
2 1/2 cups nuts and seeds
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup sweetener
Add or subtract a few ingredients to customise the flavour, and you’ll be making batch after batch in no time!
For this recipe, I used a combination of sunflower seeds, walnuts, and almonds. A pinch of sea salt and cinnamon give it a wonderful flavour, and it’s completely naturally sweetened with agave. You can also use maple syrup for a more intense flavour. I recommend using olive oil or coconut oil in granola; olive oil gives it a more savoury note which I love — it has the perfect sweet-salt crunch.
It smells absolutely wonderful baking in the oven, and it is hard to resist eating chunks of it straight from the baking sheet as it cools down! Always make sure to mix in any dried fruit (like cranberries, raisins, chopped apricots) right at the end after you’re done baking. If you crave a bit of chocolate, add cacao nibs or dark chocolate chips after the granola has cooled down, or they will melt.
I totally recommend doubling this recipe and storing it in an airtight jar because it’s seriously so good. For an exceptionally delicious breakfast, top with yogurt and some fruit. I love it with coconut yogurt + mangoes right now for the ideal summer tropical breakfast bowl.
Try it with regular yogurt and other fruits like bananas, berries, or peaches. Treat it like a cereal and have it with a splash of cold milk, or serve it with whipped cream and a stone-fruit compote…or even ice-cream (!!!).
And it’s not just for breakfast. I know I’ve had granola for dinner, on nights when I just didn’t feel like making anything else.
- 3 cups rolled oats (use gluten free certified oats if GF)
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- ¾ cup walnut halves, roughly chopped
- ¾ cup sliced or chopped almonds
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup agave
- Optional: ¼ cup dried cranberries
- Coconut yogurt (or regular yogurt)
- 1 mango, diced
- Preheat the oven to 175°C.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients - oats, seeds, nuts, cinnamon, and salt and mix. Next add the vanilla, oil, and sweetener and mix until thoroughly combined and well coated.
- Transfer the granola mix on to a baking tray and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown, making sure to keep a close watch as the granola can burn very quickly. Stir every 5 minutes to ensure even baking and to stop the granola from clumping together or burning.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool down completely. The granola should crisp up further as it cools down, so don’t worry if it’s a little wet when you take it out from the oven. Once it cools down you can add in the cranberries if using.
- Store in an airtight container for upto a week at room temperature, or longer in the refrigerator.
- To assemble the tropical breakfast bowls, scoop some granola into individual bowls. Top with coconut yogurt and diced mangoes.
Did you make this granola recipe?
Let us know: leave a comment, or tag @sprigandvine.in on your photos on Facebook and Instagram with the hashtag #goodfoodpractices
