Simple Homemade Granola

This granola is the easiest thing you'll ever bake! It has healthy oils and way less sugar than store-bought granola, and it's a fraction of the price!

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Ingredients for Basic Granola:

• 3 cups rolled old-fashioned oats (Bob’s Red Mill thick-cut are the bomb)
• ⅓ cup melted coconut oil, virgin and unrefined preferred
• ⅓ cup pure maple syrup or local honey
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit 
2. In a large bowl, stir ⅓ cup melted coconut oil and ⅓ cup sweetener, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla, and ½ tsp salt in a bowl 
3. Add 3 cups of rolled oats and mix well
4. If desired add in shredded coconut, chopped nuts, ground flax or any other add-ins (except dried fruit or chocolate chips, these are best if added after the baking process)
5. Spread out granola on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in even layer, tamp down with the back of a spatula or large spoon
6. Bake for 10 min, remove and stir the granola, press down again into even layer and bake for another 10 min (20 min total)
7. Granola will not be crunchy when first removed from the oven. It should be slightly golden brown. To get it more “chunky,” press it down again with a spatula or spoon after you remove it from the oven and allow it to cool completely
8. Store in an airtight container for up to 2-3 weeks. At this point if you want to add dried fruit, this is when I recommend adding it (if added during baking process, the granola will not get crispy)

Variations on the basic granola

Cocoa Peanut Butter Granola

1. You will use all the ingredients for basic granola PLUS 3 tbsp peanut butter powder and 3 tbsp baking cocoa or raw cacao powder
2. Add the peanut butter powder and cocoa powder to the melted coconut oil and sweetener to ensure it is distributed evenly throughout the granola
3. Then mix together your rolled oats and add-ins, coating it entirely with the wet ingredients
4. Recommended add-ins: chopped peanuts, coconut flakes, cacao nibs, dark chocolate chunks (any chocolate is best added after baking process)

Coconut Almond Granola

1. Follow directions for the basic granola
2. Add chopped almonds, shredded coconut and 1 tsp of ground ginger as your “add-ins” in step #4

Wonder Woman Granola

Made with maca, an adaptogenic herb which has been shown to benefit reproductive and sexual health for women. Cacao nibs and dark cherries are full of rich antioxidants. Flaxseed and walnuts provide anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats which are also building-blocks for our hormones.

1. Follow directions for basic granola
2. Add 1 tbsp maca powder to your wet ingredients in step #2 to ensure it is distributed evenly throughout the granola
3. Add 2 tbsp freshly ground flaxseed*, chopped walnuts and cacao nibs during step #4 as your add-ins 
4. Add dried unsweetened cherries after granola is done baking

*whole flaxseeds can be ground to a powder in a coffee grinder right before use, this is recommended as whole flaxseed is not digested well by the body and the healthy fats are not absorbed. Also, freshly grinding them prevents the healthy fats from being oxidized or going rancid, ensuring that you get the benefits