Granola and I have an on-again off-again relationship. As someone who grew up on cereal, nothing says comfort food like a big bowl of cereal with milk. But I simply cannot buy cereal and milk anymore. The reason? I will eat the entire box in one sitting. Every time I walk by the aisle at the grocery store, I am tempted to given and indulge. But I don’t. I can’t do it to myself. Granola on the other hand – I can eat in moderation. Maybe it’s the nut and fat content – fills you up faster than the carb-heavy Cheerios box! 

I was buying Purely Elizabeth’s Vanilla Chocolate Chip or Honey Almond until the pregnancy preferences kicked in… oh it still was my granola of choice, but for the first time in a long time, I was craving it every morning. And it hasn’t really stopped. When I wake up in the morning, nothing sounds better than a bowl of greek yogurt with berries and granola. Thank you craving gods for blessing me with a decent craving! Even if it is sugar heavy… 

I was going through so many bags of granola, I knew I had to make my own. That way I could dial up or down the sweetness level, incorporate more nuts than most brands who rely heavily on oats, and of course, add any toppings my heart desired!

It’s always slightly difficult to post a granola recipe because of that… Don’t have peanuts? Sub pecans. Don’t want coconut? Don’t use it! Only have ½ cup of dried cranberries? Great, use what you have! It’s endlessly curated to your own food preferences and what’s available in your home. Just make sure you keep the coconut oil and maple syrup to bind the nuts, grains, and goodies together. Though I will say, I keep going back to this combination over and over again. It’s sweet but as you’ll see from the ingredients, also well balanced with healthy fats. 

The secret to this recipe is how you make it. Like most granolas, you bake the mixture until golden brown. But to get the chunks, you also freeze the granola after it’s baked. Freezing the granola after you take it out of the oven allows the oil to solidify, giving you that crumbly texture you find in stores. 

So there you have it. I am back in a steady relationship with granola. In fact, some may call it co-dependence at this point. But at least I am saving the $ and extra additives by making it myself right?

INGREDIENTS

1 cup almonds

1 cup peanuts, pecans, or cashews (can mix and match depending on allergies/preferences)

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup dried cranberries

¼ cup flax seeds

½ cup melted coconut oil

¼ cup maple syrup

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

1 tbsp. salt

Optional: ½ cup chopped peanut butter baking chips or chocolate chips

Serving Size: 12-16

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350F. 
• Roughly chop the nuts.
• In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients. 
• In a small bowl melt the coconut oil. Gently stir the maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt into the coconut oil. 
• Mix everything together until combined. 
• Evenly spread into a 1-inch thick layer on a parchment paper-lined large baking sheet (may need to do in batches). 
• Bake for 20 minutes until the granola begins to brown on top but isn’t burned. 
• Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes then transfer to the freezer. Chill for an hour. 
• Break up into chunks, store in jars, and enjoy when ready!