If you made this granola even once, might I warn you, its trouble from then and there, and beyond. There will be no looking back from this granola, you are moving ahead and chomping away. And here is how things will be for you; you will wake up in the morning with a hop because you slept thinking about this granola and you cannot wait to have some with milk, yogurt, or whatever floats your boat. By mid-day, your body will start craving it, just as a snack (nothing fancy), and you shall carefully administer a mild dose of this (a spoon or two). Come post dinner, the symptoms will feel more like a withdrawal, and you sure will be in denial. Then, you will catch yourself generously sprinkling it on your vanilla ice cream or just scooping a handful. You shall then think about me. No, not in that way you perv. But, how I have introduced you to the best thing ever! Now, you might wonder why on earth would I intentionally inflict something like this on to myself? Because, one, this is healthier than your regular store bought granola. Two, it is packed with nuts and dried fruits that give you energy and lastly, its processed sugar free which in my opinion is a constant struggle to overcome for people like me who have the munchies 15 hours a day. So, go ahead, make these and try not to think about me…I dare you.
WATCH AND LEARN
- • Raw cashews — 1 cup
- • Raw almonds — 1 cup
- • Raw pecans halves (optional) — 1 cup
- • Unsweetened grated or desicated coconut — 1/2 cup
- • Papitas (pumpkin seeds) — 1/4 cup
- • Sunflower seeds — 1/4 cup
- • Dried cranberries /cherries (sweetened with 100% apple juice)/ dried blueberries /raisins— 1/4 cup (can be a combination of all)
- • Maple syrup or honey — 1/4 cup
- • Coconut oil — 1/4 cup
- • Salt — 1/ 4 teaspoon
- • Vanilla extract— 2 teaspoons
- Preheat the oven to a 300 degrees F (148.8 C) and line a baking pan with some parchment paper.
- In a food processor, add the cashews, raw pecans, almonds, sunflower seeds and papitas. Give it a quick whirl, now the idea is to break the nuts into smaller bits so that they hold their shape and texture like granola.
If you leave the nuts in the food processor for too long they will turn into nut butter. - Transfer the chopped nuts into a large mixing bowl, including the coconut.
- In a small microwavable bowl or measuring cup, add the coconut oil, maple syrup and salt. Zap it in the microwave for no more than 30 seconds.
The idea is to melt the coconut oil and lightly warm the maple syrup. - Now, pour this mixture, vanilla extract into the nuts and stir it until all the nuts look nicely coated.
- Transfer the mixture onto the lined baking pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes (depending on your oven). Stir the mixture half way through. The mixture should be a light brown and smell toasted.
- Remove from the oven, then stir in the cranberries and cherries.
- With a spatula, press the granola mixture onto the baking pan to form a flat, even surface. Cool for 30 minutes, and then break into chunks.
Can be stored in an airtight container or zip tight bag for about a week to 10 days.
- • Maple syrup: When using maple syrup, read your label. A good quality maple syrup should only show 100% Maple syrup in its ingredients. If it includes other sweeteners or fillers like sugar it is not worth your money.
- • Coconut Oil: Can be replaced with any odorless oil of your choice.
- • Cranberries and Cherries: Can be replaced with dried fruits of your choice like raisins, dates, goji berry etc.
