Why is that this granola referred to as Restorative Granola? As a result of I had began to lose religion in granola, and this recipe restored it—immediately! There are such a lot of manufacturers of granola on the retailer that I simply stand swaying back and forth within the cereal aisle with glazed-over eyes and a listless procuring basket dangling at my facet. Some recipes are too candy for my style, some are so crunchy that I’m afraid my solely filling goes to fall out. Some have too many oats, some have none. I understand I’m appearing like Goldilocks right here however I desire a granola with a frivolously crunchy texture and I don’t wish to must hack at large clumps with a spoon. I wish to really feel satiated however not stuffed and I don’t desire a bag of pure oats or pure nuts, as I’m neither a horse nor a squirrel. Most significantly, I would like my style buds to really feel like they’ve had the proper mix of candy and salty, with a pleasant whiff of umami! 

I started to rummage within the pantry to see which elements felt proper to me, and—with sudden, crystal readability—I knew the small however mighty sesame seed needed to be within the combine. I began jotting down elements and proportions that felt balanced, and in some way—in keeping with all of my esteemed tasters, from household to many staff—nailed it on the primary attempt. (That NEVER occurs. I give all of the credit score to the sesame seed.) 

So, right here’s the recipe for my Restorative Granola, made with 100% natural elements. Make it like I did, or put your individual particular twist on it and luxuriate in each pleasant, crisp, protein-rich, gluten-free chew. 

SARAH’S RESTORATIVE GRANOLA

Mix these elements in a big bowl:

4 cups gluten-free rolled oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup uncooked pepitas
1 1/2 cups uncooked walnut items
1/2 cup uncooked sunflower seeds 
1/3 cup uncooked sesame seeds 
1 cup unsweetened, toasted coconut flakes (I like the massive flakes, however you could possibly additionally use unsweetened, shredded coconut)
Pinch salt 
A number of shakes of cinnamon

Mix these in a saucepan and heat gently:

4 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons ghee (substitute extra coconut oil for a vegan recipe)
1/3 cup maple syrup (¼ cup in the event you used chocolate chips)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

As soon as the coconut oil and ghee are absolutely melted, pour the moist elements over the dry and stir within the bowl to coat utterly. Unfold the combination right into a single layer on parchment-lined baking trays, and place them within the oven at 325 levels. After 12-14 minutes, flip or stir the granola and press it very firmly down with the again of the spatula, swapping the place of the trays in case your oven bakes as inconsistently as mine! Bake for 12-15 extra minutes, till the nuts are browning gently and the scent is beginning to waft via your kitchen and make your mouth water. Take the trays out and permit them to chill utterly earlier than transferring the granola gently to an hermetic glass container.

Variations:

• Pass over the maple syrup for an unsweetened granola that tastes nice on salads
  
• Strive it with out the ghee, blended with coconut yogurt for a vegan snack
  
• Add 1/2 cup of darkish chocolate chips or chunks if you would like extra of a deal with
• Add a teaspoon of natural coconut extract and a few dried pineapple items if you would like extra of a tropical taste
• Play! Strive it a method, gobble all of it up, and take a look at one other means the following time. And remember {that a} jar of this goodness plus a bar of Osmia cleaning soap makes an ideal present for anybody!

I plugged the elements into a web based calculator, and that is the vitamin info it gave me. Observe that the majority granolas have a serving dimension of 1/3 cup, however I used 1/2 cup as a result of 1/3 cup of this heavenly satisfaction merely is not going to be sufficient. If you wish to lower the serving to 1/3 cup, the energy land round 140 per serving.

Hope you’re keen on this recipe as a lot as my household and I do!

With love and restored religion in granola from us to you,