This simple healthy granola recipe is oil-free and naturally sweetened, with mixed nuts and seeds. It is rich in proteins, fibres, micronutrients, and low in sugar. Granola can be your perfect breakfast or munchy between the meals.
Simple Healthy Granola recipe
Where did granola come from?
Dr. James Caleb Jackson was a health reformer who believed that illnesses were rooted in the digestive system. So he began experimenting with cold cereal as a cure for different illnesses. He baked graham flour into brittle cakes, which he then crumbled and baked again. Jackson’s granula didn’t have much success. Soon after, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, another health reformer, made a mixture of wheat flour, oatmeal and cornmeal. He was sued by Dr. Jackson, so he renamed his concoction “Granola”! Voilà! A short history of this simple breakfast.
Nowadays some granolas that we buy in stores contain artificial ingredients such as different sugars and oil.
First time I made granola was in Brazil with my dear friend Sabrina. As we planned to go to a beautiful secluded island, Ilha do Cardoso we made a big batch of granolo to have for breakfast there. I still remember the taste of our granola with fresh strawberries and almond milk 😋
Homemade granola is much testier, healthier, and plus you get to customize it to your taste.
Ingredients
- 360g (4 cups) rolled oats
- 150g (1 cup) mixed raw nuts
- 4 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds
- 4 tablespoons raw sunflower seeds
- 3 tablespoons cocoa nibs (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon 4 spice blend + ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 120g (½ cup) liquid sweetener of your choice (maple syrup, agave syrup, honey…)
- 35g (½ cup) shredded coconut (optional)
- 3 tablespoons goji berries or any dried fruits of choice (add once it’s cool)
To Make
- Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Use a non-stick roasting pan, parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the oats, all nuts, cocoa nibs, coconut (optional), chia seeds, salt, and spices. Stir to combine.
- Add maple syrup and vanilla. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
- Spread the oat mixture in a thin layer over a baking tray.
- Bake 22 minutes or until golden, stirring halway.
- Let cool completely. Then add dried fruit and toss.
- Keep stored in a sealed container up to 3 weeks at room temperature.
Notes:
* If you don’t have 4 spice blend, no worries! Add more cinnamon if you like or a pinch of ground ginger or cardamom, any spice you like or just omit all together.
*Feel free to add extra or remove any ingredient from the recipe.
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