SIMPLE GRANOLA
I love granola. LOVE IT! It’s crunchy, sweet, and healthy, right? I thought it was until I looked at the label of what I was eating. Until I saw how much fat and sugar was is in it. Good gravy! Not nearly as healthy as I thought. With that, I stopped buying it for years.
A year or so ago, we were looking for healthy lunch options for our youngest. Sandwiches and fresh fruit were not cutting it for lunch so I thought maybe yogurt and granola would be acceptable. She said that it sounded good, so I set out to find something that wasn’t loaded with fat and sugar. There were a few options I found at the store that didn’t look too bad. I chose one and brought it home. While our second-born ate it one time, it was clear that she didn’t want to eat it again. So I tried a handful and it wasn’t great. Almost chemically tasting? Maybe we got a bad batch, but that was when I set you to try to make my own.
I’ve tried a few recipes over the last year. So many of them are loaded with sugar and fat. Don’t get me wrong. They were all delicious! But I wanted something easy, quick, low in sugar, and low in fat. Something with a good crunch - even after sitting in yogurt for a few minutes. I did not find anything online that really got me excited, so I made up my own. While the baking time takes a bit longer than I’d like, the crunch factor is through the roof!
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS:
4 Cups of Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 Cup Slivered Almonds
1/4 Cup Flaxseed
1/4 Cup Honey
2 Egg Whites
Preheat Oven: 225 Degrees
PROCESS
STEP 1:
Combine Old Fashioned Oats, Slivered Almonds, and Flax Seed into a large bowl. You can be creative here. Add dry fruit, different nuts, and/or seeds. This is a really good base to build on. Make it your own!
STEP 2:
In a measuring cup, pour 1/4 Cup of Honey. Add 2 Egg Whites into the same measuring cup. Whisk thoroughly.
Keep the egg yolks for the next time you make scrambled eggs.
STEP 3:
Pour Honey and Egg White mixture into Oats, Almonds, and Flaxseed and mix thoroughly.
STEP 4:
Pour mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the granola out evenly over the baking sheet.
Bake granola at 225 degrees for 90 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes. When the granola is golden brown, remove it from the oven and cool completely.
Once the granola is cooled completely, you will have a super crunchy, lightly sweetened treat to add texture to your yogurt and won’t get soggy.
TIP: If you want to tone down the crunch factor, add 2 Tablespoons of melted coconut oil to the egg white and honey mixture before pouring it into the old fashioned oats, flaxseed, and almonds.
Enjoy!
#grayhairblogging #grayhaircooking
Nutritional Information**
Calories: 223 Fat: 7.6g Protein: 7.4g Calcium: 2.1g Fiber: 5.6g
Servings: 9 Serving Size: 1/2 C
Storage: Store granola in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
*I am NOT a doctor and have NO training in this area. I learned everything I know from my doctor and the interwebs.
**Nutritional Information is pulled from MyFitnessPal