Not Too Sweet Granola
I have a salt tooth. Even as a little kid, I was on the fence about candy. Sure, I’ll eat a little dessert here and there, but it’s not a driving force. At one of my first jobs out of college my office mates wanted to throw me a birthday party. I kindly requested that they didn't buy a cake, but instead encouraged them to get a round of brie and pop a few candles on top. They did and it was perfect! Today I'm mostly "planty," (my husband's new perfect descriptor versus the rather dull "plant-based") so I'd skip the brie, but maybe instead ask for a container of cashew cheese. Most granolas on the market are way too sweet for me, so I came up with this recipe that I think is just about perfect. Sometimes I have all the nuts and seeds listed below, but sometimes not -- it's a very flexible recipe. Often I'll swap out some for things like ground chia (if you don't grind the chia, the pesky little seeds embed themselves in your teeth) or hemp seeds. However, if you like things a little sweeter, just add more honey. Or if you prefer a richer, denser version, increase the oil. By the way, nuts and seeds go rancid pretty quickly, so I keep a small amount of the granola in a glass jar on my counter, but freeze the rest to keep it fresh.
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Ingredients
- 4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup nuts roughly chopped almonds, pecans or walnuts
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/2 cup flax seed, ground
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil I usually use organic sunflower oil
- 1/4 cup honey
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a small saucepan, heat honey and oil together for about 2 minutes. Still to mix.
- In a large bowl mix everything together really well. If it looks a little dry, add more honey or oil, depending on your tastes. Pour onto a half sheet pan with a rim (13 x 18). I always line my baking sheets with parchment paper, but you certainly don’t have to.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, then stir and continue baking for another 10 minutes. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Take out of oven and pour into a bowl to stop the cooking.
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