Healthy Maple Granola

Reflecting on my Cavewoman (aka Paleo) Adventure, I'm continuing to follow the principles of the Paleo Diet in an 80/20 fashion, and it seems to be a very sustainable way of eating!  I'm consuming more vegetables and fruits than ever, and with summer's bounty on its way, what could be more exciting?

One recipe that I attempted during my more strict Paleo phase was a recipe for Paleo-nola.  Yes, it is exactly what it sounds like - Paleo granola!  It seemed promising, but I found it to be a bit too heavy for my taste buds.  So, together with my roommate Katie Smith (a fellow ND), we created a granola recipe using rolled oats (read my post about Medicinal Properties of Oats).  We made it a lot less grain-heavy than most granola recipes, while being much richer in nuts & seeds.  If you do the math, it might almost be an 80/20 ratio!  But I'll leave the number crunching for you... I'll crunch the granola.  Here's my new favourite breakfast recipe!

Scarlett & Katie's Amazing Maple Granola

Dry ingredients

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

3/4 + 1/8 cups hazelnuts, chopped

3/4 + 1/8 cups almonds, chopped

3/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Wet ingredients

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup maple syrup

3/8 cup almond cashew butter (almond butter would work fine too!)

1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Melt coconut oil over low heat in a small pot and mix in rest of wet ingredients.  Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and bake in the oven at 325 F for 15 minutes; remove and stir, then bake another 10-20 minutes, or until golden brown.  

Sprinkle on a bowl of fresh fruit and serve with almond milk.  Enjoy!