Granola Simple and Sweet

I love making homemade granola using my GRANOLA MADE SIMPLE RECIPE/FORMULA. Today I made a sweeter variation than I usually do. I omitted the dried fruit and added mini chocolate chips.

Granola Formula

Oats + Ancient Grains + Seeds + Flavor + Oil + Honey + OPTIONS

Sweet Start Variation

• 4 cups gluten free oats  
• 1 cup seeds ... pepitas + sunflower seeds
• 2 TBSP almond flavoring  
• 1 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup honey (use agave to make vegan)
• 3/4 cup  Enjoy Life Foods Mini Chips in my recipe for a sweet treat
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup ground flax seeds

Each batch of granola I make just a bit different ... after all, variety is the spice of life!

Granola Made Simple

I love making granola so I can control the sugar in my diet. When I first needed to eat a gluten free diet, I had a difficult time finding cereal that was not loaded with sugars. (The options are much better now). I got in the habit of making my own cereal and have not looked back!

Making homemade granola does not take a long time and will cost you less than the packaged granola in the stores. I purchase my supplies when they are on sale and stock up (not too much as I do not have much storage) to keep the cost down. Many of the items I get in bins in the store which helps reduce packaging waste.

The granola is cooked for 20-30 minutes depending on the temperature of your oven and the texture you prefer. Once the granola is cool, you can store it in an airtight container for a month.

Time Savers:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 when you start assembling your granola
2. Line a cookie sheet with non stick aluminum foil ... the granola slides off and clean up is minimal (just the bowl you used for assembling the granola)

Granola Formula

Oats + Ancient Grains + Seeds + Flavor + Oil + Honey + OPTIONS

I usually use this ratio:

• 3 cups Gluten Free Oats
• 1 cup ancient grains (quinoa or millet)
• 1 cup of seeds (sunflower, pepitas, hemp, flax)
• 1-2 TBSP flavor ...vanilla, almond, maple, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, or coconut (you decide the intensity)
• 3/4 cup oil (I usually use coconut oil)
• 3/4 cup honey (substitute Agave for Vegan option)

I combine until mixed and add in options such as:

• 1 cup ground flax seeds
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut (you could add sweetened if you wish a sweeter granola)
• 1 cup dried fruit
• 1 cup diced nuts

The beauty of this recipe is you can control the quantity you make, the flavor, and the ingredients. You can cook it a bit longer for a dry and crunchy cereal or a bit less for a chewy texture.

Gluten Free Almond Granola ... Start Your Day the California Almond Way!

Start Your Day the California Almond Way ... Bring Back the Jingle!

I enjoy making homemade granola to control the sugar that I consume. Many packaged cereals are loaded with sugar, and, as a granola fan, I need to make sure to limit my sugar intake since I have a tendency to eat lots of granola as cereal or a snack!

My recipe for granola is simple ... Gluten Free Oats + Flavoring + Oil + Honey + Mix-Ins

I love the versatility and simplicity of the granola formula. The flavors and quantity can be customized each time you prepare a batch!

California Almonds provide numerous health and nutrition benefits. The easy formula to remember is 1-2-3 ... one serving of almonds is 23

nuts. They add a crunch to a recipe, have a low glycemic index, have prebiotic potential and fiber, and contain "good" fats and contain to curb cravings.

Ingredients:
2 Cups Gluten Free Oats
46 almonds diced into slivers (I cut each into three or four slivers)
3 TBSP Almond flavoring
1/3 cup oil - I used avocado oil for this recipe
1/3 cup honey - I like to use local raw honey

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Combine ingredients in a mixer
• Line a cookie sheet with foil  (I use non-stick) 
• Spread the granola on the foil and back until done ... about 15-20 minutes until the edges start to look a bit brown. (You can bake for more/less time based on your taste preferences.)
• Let the granola cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Break up clusters created by the honey if you wish. 
• Once cooled, store in an airtight container.

Build-A-Granola-Bar

I have been experimenting recently with some tried-and-true recipes. I have been looking for ways to make more HEALTHY RECIPE VARIATIONS. I took my Dried Fruit Flavored Granola Bars and substituted "flax seed eggs" for the eggs to make the granola bars Gluten Free and VEGAN.

The picture depicts a CHEWY VEGAN and GLUTEN FREE version of the Granola Bar. If you wish a chewy bar...cook until the edges of the granola bar begin to turn a golden brown. If you wish a crunchy bar cook a bit longer until the entire pan begins to turn golden.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups oats
• 1/2 cup flax seed meal or ground flaxseed
• 1/2 cup almond flour or hazelnut flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 tsp cinnamon/vanilla/maple/almond/coconut extract (the flavoring you wish to go with the stir-ins)
• 3/4 cup honey
• 2 flax seed eggs
• 1/2 cup olive, walnut, or coconut oil
•  Spray for the 9 x 12 pan (olive oil or coconut oil)

STIR-INS:

• 1/2 cup diced dried fruit (no sulfur dioxide - read side effects in some people - or sugar added is best), mini dark chocolate chips, or chopped nuts
• 1 tsp cinnamon/vanilla/maple/almond/coconut extract (the flavoring you wish to go with the above stir-ins)

Instructions:

• Preheat Oven to 350
• Begin by creating the flax seed eggs. I took 2 TBSP ground flax seeds and combined them with 6 TBSP water. I let them sit for about 5 minutes (mixing half way through) to create an egg-like consistency
• Add the dry ingredients and mix into the flax eggs
• Add the honey,  oil, and stir-ins and mix
• Spray a glass baking dish and add the granola mixture
• Press firmly into the pan with a spatula
• Bake to desired texture

Have fun...play with your food...make each batch a little different!

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.