Recipe: Apple Cinnamon Granola

Friends, it’s happened.  My daughter has finally looked up at the shelves in the cereal aisle at the grocery store and said, “I want that one, Mommy,” while pointing at a box of fruit-flavored Cheerios.  I’m trying to get back into eating whole foods rather than processed ones, and I may have sputtered a little bit before saying yes.  Oh, lord.

Here’s the thing: it’s coming from a good place.  Every morning when she goes to school, my daughter sits with her friends and shares her breakfast from home.  She has much more street cred when she brings in something actually shareable, rather than, you know, a half-eaten English muffin with cream cheese.  So I get it, I really do.  If she wants to participate in the social sharing at school, fine.  Sadly, many of my grain-free substitutes aren’t going to fly at school, since it’s a nut-free zone.  But when she comes home?  She’s eating this darn-good granola.

Made with mostly nuts and seeds and just a touch of maple syrup, this granola is super easy to make, makes your house smell delicious, and is packed with nutrients to keep you full and give you energy.  And, I mean, it tastes good, too.

Let’s be honest, I have been guilty of the cereal for dessert thing in the past, and when I try to streamline my eating habits, dessert is often the thing I miss most.  My solution is to splash some almond milk on a bowl of this granola and call it a day.  It’s also a perfect breakfast or snack, and it’s especially great when I need some protein after a hard workout.  So, bottom line, give this granola a whirl.

Apple Cinnamon Granola

Inspired by Deliciously Ella’s Granola

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 2 TBSP chia seeds
• 1/2 cup oats
• 2 TBSP coconut oil, melted
• 2 TBSP maple syrup
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp cardamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 apple, chopped
• 1/4 cup raisins (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add the pecans, walnuts, and almonds to a food processor and do a rough chop.  You want the nuts to be small pieces, but not so ground down that you just have crumbs.
3. Combine the chopped nuts and all other ingredients except the raisins in a large bowl, and toss to evenly coat the oats and nuts with the spices.
4. Arrange in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Bake for 30 minutes, stirring the mixture every 10 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then stir in the raisins if you’re using them.

Note: Depending on how thick your apple slices are, they may not get entirely crisp.  This can lead to soggy granola if you try to store it, so if you don’t plan to use this granola within a day or two, try swapping the apple for 1/4 cup of apple juice in the mix.

Options: I really enjoy adding pepitas (pumpkin seeds) when I have them on hand.  Feel free to add them in, if you have some available.  Also, since my daughter is allergic to cinnamon, I often make two batches of the granola – one with the spice and one without.  The vanilla and maple syrup add a nice flavor to the mix, even when the other spices are omitted.

One more note: how cute is the mug I used?  One of my good friends made this for my husband’s birthday, and I miiiiight have stolen it.  I love the little thumb rest!