Maple Cinnamon Super Seedz Granola

When I needed to begin eating a gluten free diet my husband and I became frustrated as we could not find many granolas on the market that were not loaded with sugar. Thankfully today many more options exist that are not loaded with sugar.  My recipes for granola add flavor via spices, extracts, and fruits.

I got used to experimenting with flavors and creating homemade granola.  I love the creativity of customizing the flavor profile!

Granola is great for breakfast or as a snack. It can be combined with the milk or yogurt of your choice for breakfast or used as a topping on chia pudding or frozen yogurt for a sweet treat. 

Base Granola Recipe:

·      3 cups of rolled oats

·      1 cup oil

·      1 cup grain – either millet or quinoa

·      4 tbsp extract of your choice

·      1 cup seeds – sesame, pumpkin, or sunflower

·      1 cup honey

Options:

1 cup coconut

1 cup dried fruit
1 cup diced nuts

Oils – I use coconut, walnut, canola, or olive depending on recipe

Brown Sugar (1/4 cup IF you PREFER added sweetness)

For the Maple Cinnamon Super Seedz Granola I used the base recipe and added quinoa. I used maple extract AND 4 TBSP of cinnamon. For the seeds I used Maple Sugar & Sea Salt Super Seedz that added a great crunchy texture and added flavor! I did add 1 cup of coconut, 1 cup diced walnuts, and I used canola oil. The extra added treat to this batch was a cup of DATES. Dates do add a sweet flavor but also fiber. I pitted and diced the dates rather than purchasing diced dates.

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Combine all ingredients in a standing mixer or bowl of your choice
• Line a cookie sheet with Reynolds Non-Stick Aluminum Foil (so you do not have to add fat to ensure the granola does not stick)
• Spread the granola evenly on the foil.
• Bake 3-40 minutes depending on your oven…check after 20 to gauge progress. You know the granola is done when the edges start to turn golden.
• When cooled, store in an airtight container.