I am always looking for delicious snacks that will keep my blood sugar stable. This is especially important since I tend to have hypoglycemic tendencies. Granola has always been one of my favorite munchies, but it can be difficult to find truly healthy, low-sugar granola options at the grocery store. Fortunately, inventing your own granola recipe is pretty easy!
You need a whole-grain starch (like oats or quinoa flakes), yummy spices, any add-ins (like nuts, seeds, and dried fruit), a little oil, and something sweet and sticky to hold it all together. For my something "sweet and sticky," I chose unrefined coconut nectar. It's a low-glycemic sweetener rich in amino acids. (It comes from coconuts but doesn't taste like them.) I also chose to couple my starch with lots of plant protein in the form of my favorite nuts and seeds. I find that when I combine protein with starch, I feel fuller for longer and less likely to have a sugar crash. Yikes!
This recipe has become my go-to snack for work. It's heavenly on top of some unsweetened coconut yogurt. Feel free to tweak the recipe and make it your own depending on your preferences and the contents of your pantry :)
YIELDS
About 7 cups
PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME
- 5 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup chopped cashews
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup coconut nectar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup chopped cashews
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds
- 2 tbsp. chia seeds
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. allspice
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup coconut nectar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 250F.
2. Combine oats, pecans, cashews, walnuts, shredded coconut, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, salt, and spices in a large, oven-safe baking dish.
3. In a small sauce pan set on the lowest heat, warm and liquify coconut oil. Stir in coconut nectar and vanilla extract. Whisk together.
4. Pour liquid mixture over dry ingredients. Toss until all dry ingredients are evenly coated.
5. Place dish in the over for 45 minutes. Give ingredients a good toss, and return the dish to the oven for another 20 minutes of baking or until oats are golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container. Devour within two weeks.
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Photo: Mary Hood
