Go-to Golden Granola
Autumn has arrived in London and if I'm honest, it's basically been here since July. Back then I was less welcoming to my fall friend but every year when we roll into September and that crisp morning air refreshes the city streets, I'm ready to pull out the scarves, pumpkin everything, and dig into the rich flavors that come with the season.
London was made for autumn. With it's huge leafy parks and infinite coffee shop collections that should put the PSL out of business, Londoners were made for cooler months. I love the fall as much as the next person but it always stirs up the nostalgia of starting school back up and watching football with the family. Those are the moments I turn to my kitchen and whip up a taste that brings me back to the people I love most. Emotional baker, much? Umm yes, that's me.
The first person who got me into making my own homemade granola was my baby sister. She had this clumpy, chunky, sweet but not overly indulgent recipe that I could eat by the barrel. We would sit around my moms kitchen table in Montana and eat it plain, straight out of the ziploc bag beacuase it was that good. And since she gave birth to identical twin boys two days ago (she's my hero), I decided to whip up some warm goodness to celebrate the arrival of little Wes and Jack!
Today I'm sharing a hybrid of several favorite granola recipes combined into one. This is the type that checks all the life-hack boxes. It comes together in no more than 30 minutes- and most of that's bake time, you dirty 3 pans, and it keeps in your pantry for a couple weeks if you have the self-control not to eat it all on day one. Really, it's so easy, the toughest part is chopping up almonds - and for the days you don't even have that in you, toss a handful or two into your food processor, chop for 30 seconds and voila - you have chopped almonds.
I like to use a verity of nuts (almonds/cashews/hazelnuts/pecans), seeds (pumpkin/sunflower/chia/flax) and dried fruit (dates/cranberries/figs/apricots) because seeds are cheaper than almonds and roasted pumpkin seeds are tough to beat. If you add in dates you'll get a deeper caramel flavor which is nice this time of year. For a colorful zip toss in the cranberries, they contrast the warm honey well and make it look pretty too. The best part about making granola is that it's 100% an art and not a science. Make a combination that suits you and what you have on hand. I love this recipe so much because I've never had to pop out to the store to grab an ingredient. I just swap it with something else and most base ingredients I always have on hand. Mix and match! Add more oil and honey if you want it clumpier. Omit the coconut flakes if you don't want to run to the store (although, toasted flakes are almost worth the trip). Make it one that fits your lifestyle as much as your tastebuds. And if you land on something you like, please add the combo in the comments below!
I use this granola on plain yogurt with berries for an extra sweetener and crunch or as my morning cereal with almond milk. It's also dreamy on a smoothie bowl. And being honest here, most of it disappears going straight from jar to hand to mouth because it's that good. This recipe makes a large mason jar's worth so if you want more just double it- and I promise you will be glad you did.
Ingredients
- 2 (c) rolled oats
- 1/2 (c) chopped almonds
- 1/4 (c) pumpkin/sunflower seeds or pecans/hazelnuts
- 1/2 (c) coconut flakes
- 1 (tsp) cinnamon / 1/4 (tsp) nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- 2 (tbs) coconut oil
- 3 (tbs) honey or maple syrup
- 1/2 (c) chopped dates/cranberries/figs
Preheat oven to 375 degrees (190 celsius).
In a medium sized bowl mix together oats, almonds, seeds, coconut flakes, spices and salt. Then melt the honey and oil over medium heat and stir until combined (or just pop it in the microwave for 45 seconds like I do). Pour the wet ingredients over the dry, stir to combine and lay out on a medium sized baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Roast for 15-20 minutes, mixing half way through, until golden and crunchy. Finally stir in the dried fruit combo you prefer - I've made it with dates and cranberries and both are spot on.
Serve with milk, over yogurt, or on top of your weekend smoothie bowl.
Cheers, lovely!
