homemade granola recipe | bistro onesixI call this homemade granola recipe “blank canvas granola” because really it’s just a suggestion and totally adaptable to your tastes…or what you have in the cupboard. Really you don’t even need a recipe for it.

All you really need

What you do need is your favorite ingredients.

• I use oatmeal as a base for mine because for one thing, it makes the more expensive ingredients like nuts and dried fruit go a little further, plus I like the bulk it gives to the finished product.
• Next for some texture. While I know that not only does it look like bird food but it is bird food, millet is delightfully crunchy.
• An array of seeds bring an array of healthy benefits including vitamin E, magnesium, copper, protein, zinc, and omega 3’s, just to call out a few.
• It doesn’t matter if you use walnuts, or pecans, or pistachios, or almonds. Not only do they bring more protein to the party but also another slew of health boosters.
• Orange zest and juice contributes some acidity along with some sweet.
• Spice it up! I used cinnamon but try ginger or nutmeg or go big and go for some cayenne. And salt to me makes everything taste a little better.
• Coconut oil and coconut sugar add a little fat and a little sweetness. I used to make this with butter and brown sugar which was awesome of course, but trying to give it a bit of a healthy makeover.
• And finally some chewy dried fruit.

Try this suggestion below or customize it to make your own homemade granola recipe. I’d love to hear about your favorite combinations!

blank canvas granola
Serves: 3½ cups
 
Ingredients
  • 2 cups oats (make sure they're sans gluten if you're GF)
  • ⅓ cup millet
  • ⅓ cup sunflower seeds
  • ⅓ cup pumpkin seeds
  • ⅓ cup flax seeds
  • ½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup pecans, coarsely chopped
  • 1 orange, zest and juice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ⅓ cup coconut oil
  • ⅓ cup coconut sugar
  • 1 cup dried fruit of choice
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Add oats through the nuts to a big bowl and mix to combine.
  3. Stir in orange zest and juice, cinnamon and salt.
  4. Melt the coconut oil either on the stove or microwave and stir in coconut sugar. Add to dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
  5. Spread evenly out on a baking sheet and place in preheated oven.
  6. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or so, stirring occasionally until mixture is dry and toasty brown.
  7. Let cool and add dried fruit. Store in an airtight container.

homemade granola recipe | bistro onesix