Superhero Granola
It is hard to find a granola that is not loaded with sugar. It is easy to make homemade granola that is loaded with all kinds of superfoods and lightly sweetened with honey. So why not do the superhero thing and feed your family super-powered food?
When Palmer was a tween he took on the role of granola maker in our family. The recipe he followed was heavy on the oats, which made the end result a rather dry, flakey kind of granola. It was good but I tend to like a little chunkier granola, something that is a little sticky and has some heft to it. When his high school schedule did not afford much time for granola making, I took the role back over and tried a recipe that was super nutty and seedy. It was called “Superwoman Granola” because of all the hormone supporting powers of the many nuts and seeds. For a while we all ate Superwoman Granola (even the menfolk) but some were missing the oaty days of yore so I decided to find a middle ground.
I experimented with ratios, still desiring plenty of nuts and seeds but looking to bring some oats back into the game. (An advantage to this is that oats are cheaper and make the expensive nuts and seeds stretch a bit further.) The end result of my experimenting seems to be just right. Take a look but then feel free to adjust to your liking. More of this or less of that. Cooked longer to crisp it up. Stir often to keep it loose or don’t stir at all and after it cools break it into whatever sized chunks you like. Eat with almond milk (Andrew’s preference), cow’s milk (Bridger’s preference), with plain Greek yogurt (my preference), or with yogurt, peanut butter, and more nuts added (Haddie-style). Or for a real treat, pile it on top of avocado/cottage cheese pudding (my truest preference). Superheroes eating superpowered granola can eat it however they want. What is your preference?
Superhero Granola
A granola that is packed with superfoods--perfect for your super family.
Ingredients
- 4 cups of rolled oats
- 1 cup of raw walnuts
- 1 cup of raw cashews
- 1 cup of raw pecans
- 1 cup of raw almond slivers
- 1 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup of pepitas
- 1/2 cup hemp hearts
- 1/2 cup of flax seed meal
- 1/4 cup of chia seeds
- 1/4 cup of sesame seeds
- sprinkle of salt
- 1/4/ cup of coco powder (optional)
- 1/4 cup of chocolate chips (optional)
- 3/4 cup of coconut oil
- 3/4 cup of honey
Instructions
- Heat the coconut oil and honey in small saucepan over low heat until melted and blended.
- Mix all other ingredients into a large mixing bowl (if you are using the coco powder and chocolate chips, stir in the powder but reserve the chocolate chips).
- Pour oil/honey over dry ingredients and stir until combined.
- Pour the granola onto a parchment lined cookie sheet (I like to use stoneware).
- Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes and then stir the granola to ensure even cooking. If using the chocolate chips, chop the chips (I use my blender) and sprinkle the chocolate chip bits on top of the granola. Bake for another 15 minutes.
- At this point, I like the level of doneness and let it sit without further stirring. But you could stir to keep it loose and could also opt to cook longer for a crispier granola. Experiment and make it how you like it!
