When it comes to granola, I must admit, I’m a bit of a snob. Most store bought granolas are either too sweet, too caloric, or too full of things other than oats (i.e. chocolate chunks, too much dried fruit, too many nuts). It blows my mind to read nutrition labels on store bought granola, only to discover they can contain up to 140 calories per 1/4 cup serving! I thought granola was supposed to be a healthy snack or breakfast. That’s why I created my own granola recipe, so I know exactly what’s going into it. It has the perfect balance of salty and sweet, with just the right ratio of dried fruit to nuts to oats. I’m planning on adding variations to this base recipe as the seasons change, but here is the original.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups quick cooking oatmeal
1/4 cup chopped pistachios
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup craisins
2 tbs agave nectar
2 tbs honey
2 tbs canola oil
2 tsp brown sugar
a dash or two of cinnamon
DIRECTIONS
Preheat over to 325 degrees fahrenheit. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the agave, honey, oil, brown sugar and cinnamon and stir until well incorporated. Pour mixture onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
See! Easy as that. Compared to store bought granolas, my recipe only has 122 calories in 1/3 of a cup! This is the perfect amount for a nice yogurt parfait (see below). I like to add fresh fruit to greek yogurt and granola for a well-rounded and hearty breakfast or snack. I promise, after making this recipe, you’ll never buy granola at the grocery store again.
Mangoes and strawberries make the perfect summer yogurt parfait
Sticky Fingers 