Snack number two of today!
Pinterest is a wonderful thing. It’s horrible to browse at work because I want to eat my computer screen, but I love saving recipes I come across that look A) delicious, and B) actually possible to make.
And recently, my savior came along.
Let me begin by saying I grew up in a nutless household. My dad was allergic to all, and I am allergic to hazelnuts, pistachios, and cashews, but never really liked any kind of nut. My mom loves cashews as a snack, but the one time I tried one I blew up like a balloon. Not my ideal kind of Saturday morning.
Now that I’m older and live away from my parents, I have lost my fear of these tasty treats. I eat wasabi soy almonds on the regular to fight my craving for sushi, and you’ve already seen my roasted almonds on here.
And now, I’ve discovered
the
best
granola
EVER.
And it’s paleo!
Heavenly Paleo Granola
2 cups sliced almonds
1 cup pecans
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup ground flax seed
¾ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
½ cup honey
6 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
¾ to 1 cup dried cranberries, raisins or other dried fruit
Yes, it’s a lot of ingredients. But many health food stores like Sprouts and Whole Foods have areas where you can only get what you need! I managed to get everything for less than $20 because I already had spices, honey, and coconut oil on hand, which is pretty decent when you consider pre-made granola (that isn’t mass-produced) can be expensive.
First, preheat your oven to 275° and cover a baking sheet with lightly greased aluminum foil.
Combine nuts and seeds in a large bowl, and begin melting the honey and coconut oil in a saucepan on the stove (or in a bowl in the microwave). Do not let it simmer, as soon as everything is melted, add all your spices and vanilla into the saucepan. If you’re feeling extra Autumny, you can substitute some of the spices for pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice, allspice, or nutmeg!
Pour the liquid over the nuts and seeds, and mix really, really well. You want to make sure every tiny flax seed is coated in coconut honey deliciousness.
Finally, spread the mix onto your sheet and stick it in the oven for up to 60 minutes. 45 minutes is the sweet spot, but if you like everything a little more roasted, keep it in there. Stir it around every 15 minutes to keep the edges from burning.
For clumpy granola:
Take it out when it’s ready and don’t mix it. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes and then separate it into chunks to store.
For uniform granola:
Take it out when it’s ready and mix it, then mix it every 5-7 minutes until it’s cooled down.
Recipe adapted from The Café.
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