First Timer: The Granola Edition

Before Sunday, I had always bought my own granola.  **Don’t even get me started on how long it took me to pick from the 10+ dispensers of granola the Whole Foods bulk aisle has.**  I thought it was about time I ventured into the world of homemade granola making, because, well why not?

What I discovered was:

1. Homemade granola is easy.

2. Homemade granola is faster than going to the store.

3. Homemade granola is tasty.

4. Homemade granola is yet another way to incorporate more oats, almonds, cashews, cranberries, chocolate and peanut butter into my life.

5. #4 is the only point that really matters.

And because it’s late and I’m tired and because you probably want to get to the granola anyways, I’ll just stop rambling and give you the goods 🙂

Nutty Cranberry Granola

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2 T dried cranberries, chopped
• 2 T cashews, chopped
• 3 T almonds, chopped
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 3 T applesauce
• 1/2 T coconut oil, melted
• 1 t vanilla
• 3 T maple syrup

**I used sweetened applesauce so I didn’t add any sugar, but if you’re using unsweetened you might want to add 1 tablespoon of sugar or sucanat.

**You can sub another liquid sweetener for the maple syrup if you’d like.  I would have used brown rice syrup if I’d had any.

Directions:

1. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl (oats, dried cranberries, cashews, almonds, salt and cinnamon).
2. In a second bowl, mix together wet ingredients (applesauce, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla).
3. Add wet ingredients to dry, mix and spread on a pan covered in parchment paper.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so.
5. Let cool for at least 30 minutes (it will harden up as it cools).  Store in an airtight container.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola (inspired by Oh She Glows)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 t salt
• 2 T raw buckwheat
• 2 T dark chocolate chips, chopped
• 3 T applesauce
• 1 t vanilla
• 3 T maple syrup
• 1/2 T coconut oil, melted
• 1 T peanut butter, melted

Directions:

1. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl (oats, salt, buckwheat and chocolate chips)
2. In a second bowl, mix together wet ingredients (applesauce, vanilla, maple syrup, coconut oil and peanut butter).
3. Add wet ingredients to dry, mix and spread on a pan covered in parchment paper.
4. Bake 20-25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes of so.
5. Let cool for at least 30 minutes (it will harden up as it cools).  Store in an airtight container.

**The chocolate chips will get melty when you add the oil and peanut butter, so if you want your chocolate to stay more in tact I would suggest adding it after the granola has cooled.

I was really excited about these granolas and surprised at how easily they came together.  And even more surprised at how easily I could shovel handfuls into my mouth.  Just kidding, that part wasn’t surprising.

How about a picture just for fun?

That would be Huni (my mom’s puppy) stuck to the rug because her jacket has velcro on it.  And of course, my mom and I just laughed and took pictures instead of helping.  Don’t worry she freed herself.

Happy Wednesday!