Power Seed Granola
Since starting this journey, I find it so much fun to create and develop my own recipes. One thing that I love to snack on, and maybe snack too much sometimes (oops), is granola. We always have in the house Nature Paths Ancient Grains, which is packed full of good for you grains and almonds. Even though that granola is decently good for you already, I knew, like any idea of mine, that I could make it better.
This recipe adapted from a granola bar I was experimenting with a couple weeks ago. I made these chewy and they were fine that way but I wanted to see what it would be like transformed into a crunchy granola. I slightly burned my first attempt, which wasn’t completely terrible, I don’t mind things a little crispy.
One thing that I always press about making your own food, is that you know exactly what is going into what you make. There’s no weird additives, unnecessary amounts of sugar, or the risk of the food being made on a facility that might be contaminated with common allergens. Plus, I’m my opinion, it’s fun! Experimenting in the kitchen has always been a fun challenge for me, sometimes recipes turn out grand and sometimes they don’t. It’s always interesting to see what will come of your creations.
This granola bar recipe is packed with powder seeds and nuts high in protein and Omega-3 fatty acids. It’s prefect to top smoothies with, a bowl of dairy free yogurt or even on top of banana ice cream. Or if you just want to snack on it, which I find myself doing.
Yield: about 2 cups
Vegan
Category: Breakfast
Prep time: 10 minutes Total time: about 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup oats (I used ½ cup Coach’s Oats and ½ cup rolled oats)
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tbsp organic tahini **
2 tbsp flax seed
2 tbsp chia seed
2 tbsp hemp seed
2 tbsp pumpkin seed
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ cup coconut flakes
⅓ cup chopped raw cashews
⅓ cup chopped raw almonds
**Why tahini? Tahini adds another depth and flavor profile to any recipe it touches. It adds the “roasty” and “toasty” flavors, as well as enhancing caramel and balancing sweetness. Not to mention, it adds healthy fats and a great source of protein. Pretty nice, huh?
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, add more tahini if needed
Lay out flat on a lined baking sheet
Bake for 8-12 minutes depending on how crispy you want it
The possibilities are endless when it comes to making your own granola. You can add in dried fruit, chocolate chips, other forms of grains, pecans, walnuts, etc. Be creative and add in your own favorite spices.
Give this a try and let me know what you think! :)