Easy Healthy Homemade Granola Recipe

Chewy Granola Bar Recipes, Low Fat Crunchy Granola

Easy Healthy Homemade
Granola Recipe

Ingredients (Serves 30)
Time: 30 minutes

7 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup canola oil or coconut oil
(see low fat substitutes)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar (or agave syrup)

1/2 cup maple syrup (the higher the grade the better)(or agave syrup)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole almonds

1 cup chopped walnuts (see low fat substitutes)

1 cup sunflower seeds (see low fat substitutes)

Shredded coconut (to taste)

Craisins (to taste)

Directions

Preheat oven to 320 degrees F and line two large baking sheets with baking parchment paper or aluminum foil.

In a large mixing bowl, add the rolled oats and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, add the oil, brown sugar, syrup, salt, almonds, walnuts, and sunflower seeds. Mix thoroughly. Pour the syrup mixture over the rolled oats and mix thoroughly until everything is well coated.

Spread granola mixture evenly onto prepared baking sheets. Place in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Sprinkle shredded coconut across the top of the granola the last 10 minutes of baking. Remove from oven, stir in cranberries, and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Low Fat Granola Substitutes

Make this homemade granola recipe even healthier by lowering the fat.

Substitute the oil for yogurt, mashed bananas, or applesauce.

Substitute the walnuts with cashews and the sunflower seeds with pumpkin seeds.

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Homemade Granola is very adaptable and while not as expensive as store bought it can be quite expensive depending on your ingredients. So adjust each recipe according to your taste and budget. Common granola recipe ingredients include:

Base - regular rolled oats
Binding Agents - maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, oil (canola, vegetable, or coconut), mashed fruit, yogurt
Nuts - almonds (low fat), cashews (low fat), pecans, walnuts, peanuts
Seeds - sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds (low fat), ground flax seeds (particularly in recipes for healthy granola)
Dried Fruit - raisins, cranberries, craisins, apples, bananas, apricots
Other - coconut flakes, mini chocolate chips, peanut butter

A pinch of salt is important to balance all the flavors.

Bake at 320 degrees F or lower to control chewiness and avoid burning. Homemade granola usually takes about 20 - 25 minutes in the oven. But times vary depending on the amount you're making and your type of oven. Just keep an eye on it and take it out once it has reached your desired level of "toastiness".

Use a large enough baking sheet or multiple sheets so that everything lays flat for even toasting. Otherwise top pieces will burn. Stir every 5 - 7 minutes to ensure everything toasts evenly. Don't expect the granola to harden and clump while cooking, this happens while cooling.

How to make granola healthy and low fat? Just make these replacements/additions:

Coconut oil for regular oil

Really lower the fat by substituting mashed bananas, applesauce, prunes, or yogurt for the oil (1:1 ratio)

Ground flaxseed, tasteless but full of added health benefits (add after baking because cooking reduces health benefits)

All Bran

Wheat Germ

Choose low fat nuts and seeds like cashews, almonds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag to maintain freshness and texture.

A little goes a long way with this granola recipe so eat it sparingly as a cereal, snack on it raw, or mix it with yogurt.

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