An Easy & Fast Healthy Fall Granola

4 cups of Rolled oats (Old Fashion is the same thing)

1 ½ cups of nuts and seeds of your choice.

I did 1 cup walnuts and ½ pepitas

1 tsp Sea Salt or ¾ tsp of table salt

1 tsp Vanilla extract

¼ tsp Ground Ginger

¼ tsp Nutmeg

2 tsp Cinnamon

½ cup Coconut Oil

½ cup Real Maple Syrup or Raw Honey

Extras: ⅔ cup of dried fruit chopped into small pieces

½ cup Unsweetened coconut flakes

Preheat your over to 350℉, next line a ½ sheet baking pan that has edges with parchment paper. Note: Wax paper will not work, the wax will melt into your food.
In a large bowl mix together the oats, all your nuts/seeds, sea salt, and spices. Mix them up well.
Next, measure out your coconut oil and melt in the microwave. Then pour on top of your dry mixture. I like to do the oil first because it makes measuring and pouring the syrup/honey much easier. Then pour in your maple syrup or honey. If your honey or syrup is very thick microwave it for 30 seconds so it is easier to spread in your mixture.
Add your Vanilla and mix this all up! I find the spices like to hang out on the bottom so really get the bottom parts mixed well.
Place mixture on the lined baking sheet. Spread out evenly and pat down. Bake for 21-24 minutes.
Halfway through baking take the mixture out and stir. Then pat down and continue baking.
If you are adding in shredded coconut you can add it in for the last 5 mins of the baking time to get toasted.
Take out of the oven when the mixture is golden brown. Let this cool for at least 45 minutes. It is hard to wait but it tastes much better once it is cool.
Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks, or in a sealed freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. The dried fruit can freeze solid, so let it warm to room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

This was adapted from COOKIE + kate. Make it Gluten-free with Gluten-free oat! Make it Nut-free by adding only seeds! Most of my family is gluten-free so I just always have gluten-free oats around.

I love this as a snack or with yogurt or fruit or in lunches. I was tired of paying $6 for a small bag of granola. Although buying all these ingredients in bulk seems expensive each batch yields a lot of granola which is great for families. I also feel good knowing exactly what has been put into it. No added sugars and you can use any spices you want. I added in more spices because I love those flavors together. Feel free to play around with your favorite flavor combinations. This is a great activity to do with young children or have your older children make it on there own. There is nothing crazy hard about it so it can be easy for them to measure, pour, and stir. The only tricky part is remembering to add the vanilla and salt! I seem to almost always forget one so I have to dump it back into the bowl and add it in. I hope this inspires you to make your own granola. I am always looking for healthy sweet recipes and this one fits the bill for me!

This granola can be great for gifts as well. I love cooking and making food for people is part of my love language.

As Miss Frizzle always says, “Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!”

As always please tag me in your adventures! I want to see how your granola turns out! Tag me on Facebook or Instagram @intuitivedesignsmc