Wanna hear a funny story that’s only kind of about granola? When I was a new mama to my first born, up all hours of the night nursing him every hour or so, I killed A LOT of time looking at recipes on the Internet. It seemed like a good idea, recipes aren’t overly stimulating. So when my baby went back to dozing, I could too. One night in the wee hours, I stumbled upon a beautiful food blog written by a lovely French-Canadian woman, called Trois Fois Par Jour. The website was mostly in French, but she had a translate button for her recipes. I saved a few to print out the next day, and by the time morning came, I had completely forgotten about it all. Because, sleep deprivation.
Well, wouldn’t you know, about a week later, a big, beautiful, brand-new cookbook showed up at my door. It was called “Three Times a Day.” I immediately assumed that some kind soul had sent this beautiful cookbook to this new mama, knowing I’d be short on beauty and inspiration. Tears came to my eyes and gratitude to my heart. I texted several friends and family members, asking who I needed to thank for the lovely gift, but nobody seemed to have any idea where it might have come from.
I shrugged it off, dove into the book and enjoyed it thoroughly, dog earring recipes left and right. Well, wouldn’t you know, towards the back of the book, the order slip was tucked in between the pages. I pulled it out and realized that the giver of this beautiful gift was in fact, MYSELF. I had ordered this cookbook during a late night nursing session and I had absolutely NO RECOLLECTION of the purchase. Trois Fois Par Jour does in fact translate to Three Times a Day, I discovered. I also discovered that maybe it was time to put an end to late night Internet surfing.
All that to say, this granola recipe has been my go-to for years. I’ve made some tweaks and changes over time- as reflected in this recipe- but it serves my family so well. I make it every single week and my husband is a lost soul when we run out. We also give this granola out in lieu of candy every year on Valentine’s Day. I tie it up in little burlap bags, and though I always imagine the kids being disappointed when they open our bags to find something heathy, they never are! A breakfast win for all!
My Go-To Granola
DifficultyMedium
ServingsMakes 1 sheet pan.
Prep time15 minutes
Cook time43 minutes
Total time60 minutes
This recipe has done me solid for years and years. It’s simple, delicious, healthful and sweet. Using entirely natural sweeteners, whole grains and dried fruit, it’s the perfect alternative to junky breakfast cereal. Paired with a bowl of raw milk or homemade yogurt, it’s my family’s very favorite breakfast.
Ingredients
Granola
- 4 cups Oats, rolled
- 1 cup Coconut, shredded
- 1/2 cup Almonds, slivered
- 1/2 cup Pecans, halved
- 1/2 c cup Millet
- 1/2 cup Sunflower Seeds
- 1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- pinch Salt
Drizzle
- 1/2 cup Honey
- 1/2 cup Maple Syrup
- 1/2 cup Coconut Oil
- 1 tsp Vanilla
Fruit
- 1/2 cup Golden Raisins, or regular raisins
- 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries, or cherries, apricots
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- 2
In a large bowl. combine all the dry granola ingredients.
- 3
In a medium sized saucepan, combine all the ingredients for the maple drizzle. Heat on the stovetop until boiling, boil until it bubbles up to the rim of the pan. Pour it over the bowl of dry ingredients. and stir until everything is equally coated.
- 4
Spread the mixture out in an even layer on the sheet pan and bake for 40-45 minutes. You can stir it up during the cook time to ensure even cooking, but I don’t usually worry about this step.
- 5
When the granola is golden brown, remove it from the oven and let it cool. I add the dried fruit at this stage, before it hardens up, and stir it all together.
- 6
Once it’s completely cooled, crunch it up and store it in a large jar for easy, healthy breakfasts all week long!
Equipment
Notes
Any number of nuts and dried fruits can be subbed out in this recipe to great effect! Don’t be afraid to change it up. I often make substitutions based on what I have on hand.
Keywords:Granola, Whole-Grain Granola, Healthy Breakfast, Breakfast, Easy Breakfast, Healthy Recipes
