Super Simple, Homemade Granola

What do you love adding granola to for an extra crunch?

A few days ago I was making a smoothie and, although it is one of my all-time favorite on-the-go snack, I wanted something crunchy with it. Texture is a big deal, you agree? So… I decided to make this super fast, super easy, DELICIOUS granola. (Did I mention DELICIOUS!) Seriously, adding the granola to my smoothie was a game-changer.

Not only does granola go hand-in-hand with smoothies, but also yogurt, milk, fruit, muffins, fudge, pudding, trail mix, peanut butter, salads, and mashed sweet potatoes (gotta try it).  This granola makes for a satisfying treat for breakfast, a snack, or even as dessert!

I personally love to make my own granola so that I can control exactly how it tastes, what is in it, and save money. Something great about this recipe is that you can totally make it your own! Feel free to tweak this recipe to make it perfect for you! Try adding some dried fruit like raisins or cranberries, or different nuts like almonds or cashews.  You could even try adding some dried coconuts or chocolate chips.

This simple, inexpensive recipe uses whole and commonly-stocked foods and promotes good health.  The main ingredient is, of course, oats. Oats are low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, and are a great source of dietary fiber.  They are also loaded with many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.  Because of this, oats have been shown to help lower cholesterol levels, which may therefore help decrease the risk of heart disease.

This is an easy recipe that doesn’t take long at all. Seriously 20 minutes max! It’s perfect for busy college students to make right before class, mothers who just put their kids down for a nap, or starving athletes right after practice. You could also make this snack on the weekend and then have it as a quick on-the-go snack throughout the week—that is if you don’t eat it all before the weekend is over ;).

Super Simple, Homemade Granola

Instructions

• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• ½ tsp salt
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1/3 c honey
• 3 Tbsp coconut oil
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp almond extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Pour the oats, salt, and brown sugar into a bowl and stir to combine.
3. In a small microwaveable bowl, combine honey and coconut oil, and heat for 40 seconds.  Stir to dissolve the coconut oil, and add the vanilla and almond extract.
4. Pour the honey mixture over the oats, and stir so that they are evenly coated.
5. Pour the oat mixture evenly onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
6. Bake for 5 minutes and then stir and spread back to an even layer.  Return to the oven for 5 more minutes, or until golden brown around the edges.
7. Transfer the granola onto a piece of wax paper to cool. Spread it out into a thin layer-about ½ inch thick.
8. After it cools completely, break the granola into clusters and store in an airtight container.