As you read in my Back to Basics post, I’m trying to be more eco-friendly, more healthy and more self-sufficient. With that in mind, I present this recipe for Homemade Granola with no refined sugars.
When you think granola, you usually associate it with “healthy.” And when made properly, granola can have a great balance of whole grains, protein and carbohydrates which provide a nutritious, healthy snack, especially when combined with yogurt or fruit. However, most commercial granolas are high in processed sugar and carbohydrates. They also get a bad rap for being high in fat, however the fat should be good, heart healthy fat from nuts.
This recipe, which I got from The Paper Mama blog, is granola as it’s intended to be. Full of almonds, sunflower seeds and oats, and sweetened with honey and no sugar-added applesauce, it’s absolutely delicious. I love to put some in my yogurt to give it some crunch and extra protein.
Homemade Granola (via The Paper Mama)
Ingredients:
- 7 cups old-fashioned oats*
- 1.5 cups slivered almonds (can be food processed to make smaller pieces)
- 0.5 cups shelled sunflower seeds (can bee food processed to make smaller pieces)
- 1.5 cups shredded coconut**
- 3 T cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground ginger
- 3 T pure vanilla
- 1.5 cups no sugar added applesauce
- 1/4 cup honey
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine all wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well. Granola should be slightly moist. If it seems dry, add a little more applesauce
Divide the granola between 2 baking sheets and spread it out evenly. Bake for 40-50 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to ensure even cooking. Allow to cool completely before storing.
* I used quick-cooking oats. They’re smaller and lighter, and didn’t get particularly crispy, so I think I’ll try old-fashioned oats next time.
** I forgot to put the coconut in! I was so sad because I didn’t realize until it was done cooking. It still tastes wonderful, but I think the little bits of toasted coconut would really kick it up a notch.
