What Type of Granola is Healthiest? The Kind You Make at Home.
Granola that keeps in the fridge for weeks, without preservatives. Bonus: it’s delicious!
I’ve been making this granola for years. It is simple and easy to make. Eat it for breakfast, give it as a housewarming gift, or make it part of dessert!
There are tons of granola brands out there if you don’t want to make your own, but you’ll also find that many of these packages of granola contain preservatives and a hefty price tag. I generally keep these types of ingredients on hand. I watch for them at places like Aldi and Thrive Market, where I can buy them at a better price.
The reasoning behind my ‘bold’ statement that homemade is the healthiest is largely due to preservatives and sugar content. When you make granola at home you can control how much added sugar is in the recipe and you are not adding any preservatives to keep it fresh longer. In fact, all you need to do is pop the granola in the fridge and it will keep fresh and crispy for weeks. One caveat here is that you do need to buy quality, preservative-free ingredients.
If you really want to get into the weeds, look at these ingredients! You’ve got fiber, protein, complex carbs, and yes, sugar. Pure maple syrup is still sugar. Slightly better than table sugar with some added minerals and a lower value on the glycemic index. That being said, a serving size might be 1/4 cup sprinkled on top of oats or yogurt. I don’t go crazy on granola serving sizes. I left servings out of the recipe on purpose in fact. That is a personal choice, depending on if you are eating straight-up granola or adding it to a dish as a crunchy topping.
This recipe is pretty easy to make and clean-up is quick. You won’t be spending hours in the kitchen. Every ten minutes or so, just stir. Psst… use the foil or parchment paper to line the cookie sheet. Then when it's ready to store, use the foil as a funnel to pour the granola into the container. So easy!
I use this granola on my oats, english muffins with almond butter, and in yogurt parfaits. Better yet, warm up the granola and some pure maple syrup and make a ‘granola’ vanilla ice cream sundae.
Prep time: 15 minutes / Cook time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
3 cups old fashion oats
1 cup almonds, slivered or roughly chopped
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pepita seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions:
1. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Add syrup and extra virgin olive oil to a small bowl and stir until well combined. Add to dry ingredients and stir with a large wooden spoon until coated well.
3. Pour onto a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper (easy to roll it up in the foil and pour into a container). If using foil, lightly grease it.
Bake at 325 degrees for about 30–40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
Add on ideas after granola is cooled: goji berries, freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries, any dried fruit, or dark chocolate chips.
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