It’s one of those foods that deliver impressive numbers in terms of fiber and iron, while nuts and seeds add heart-healthy unsaturated fats and protein. But you have to be a very savvy shopper to find the healthiest ones on the supermarket shelf. No sleuthing necessary with Anita’s recipe! It’s a super delicious, nutrient-packed product.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup almonds
- 1 cup cashews
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cup pistachios
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries (or raisins)
- 3/4 cup seeds (sunflower or pumpkin)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup (or honey or a combo of both)
- 6 tablespoons virgin unrefined coconut oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 5 cups old fashioned whole rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325 F.
- Line 2-3 baking trays with parchment paper.
- Mix all the nuts, cranberries and seeds and wash them*
- Working in 2-3 batches, grind them in a food processor until they are reduced to tiny bits the size of the oats (make sure they don’t turn into a paste).
- Take them out in a big mixing bowl and add the rest of the ingredients.
- Working with your hands, mix well and toss to coat.
- Spread the mixture in a thin layer on the baking trays.
- Bake for approx 25 min (one tray at a time) until lightly toasted. May have to do 2-3 min more but make sure it doesn’t get burnt.
- Stir once halfway through.
- Cool and store.
Notes from Anita:
- All nuts should be raw and organic.
- Use whatever nuts you have as long as the total is 4 cups.
- *To be super safe, I wash the nut/cranberry/seed mixture before baking. (Lois has never done this but these days, better to be super safe.)
- To make smaller batches, make half or one third the recipe.
- Granola can be used with yogurt and sliced bananas as breakfast or sprinkled over fruit crumble and/or ice cream and drizzled with honey for dessert.
Check out more recipes at freshperspectives.org
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