Granola 3 easy ways !

OK so I have a new love; GRANOLA !

Oh how I love Granola. I use to be intimidated by it to be honest. I always thought you have to cook it for long, or needed all this crazy stuff, and never had the right things to make it at once and basically never took he time to try it.

Lately I have been trying to eat healthier and lighter, I got myself into a health kick for this particular week and was all geared up to loose some extra weight since I had my last daughter.  My family and I had gone to the local farmers market and stocked up on a TON of fresh fruit and veggies to use in place of any unhealthy snacks. I cleaned, trimmed and cut all my fruit, froze the strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and pineapple and left the pears, peaches, mangoes and apples in the fridge for easy access. I planned on juicing and making smoothies, and eating fruit for breakfast, but grew tired and needed something new QUICK ! Thankfully my boredom with our usual fruit routine lead me to finally taking the time to make Granola.

I researched sooo many recipes, and came up with 3 recipes that I altered to fit my families needs, and have these on hand on the regular.  Each has a different yet similar and familiar yummy crunchy wholesome hearty taste.

Granola is nothing to fear !  Is is super easy !  Basically Granola is made in 2 steps: heating and melting you liquid/binder and measuring out all your dry add ins i.e oats seeds nuts coconut bran wheat germ... then mixing the two baking in the oven to dry out, which creates this incredible delectable crunchy yummy topping that we now put on homemade ice creams, bowls of fruit, oatmeal, and we top smoothies off with it too, I even catch my dear husband sneaking in the granola bowl with a fistful now and again !

I will post all 3 recipes for you that I make. All have the same method to prepare them.  Once they are out of the oven and cool, mix in dried fruit of your choice or coconut or leave as is like we do here.

I hope you try these, I know once you do, you will always have it, just like we do.


Love Sierra




Peanut Butter Granola

1/2 cup apple juice
1/3 cup maple syrup ( or agave, brown rice syrup, brown sugar )
1/3 peanut butter
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 tbsp vanilla

3 cups rolled oats ( i like large flake, but you can use any kind you have )
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup oat bran
1 cup mixed chopped nuts and seeds ( i.e sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, soy nuts, peanuts, cashews, almonds..)

Preheat oven to 375*F
Combine apple juice, maple syrup, peanut butter cinnamon and salt in a sauce pan, bring to a simmer on medium heat. Meanwhile measure out your oats, wheat germ, bran and chopped nuts and seeds in a separate bowl.  Continue stirring your peanut butter mixture to melt peanut butter, once bubbles form, stir for 1 more min and take off the heat and add 1 tbsp vanilla.
Once you add vanilla pour entire mix over you oat mixture and stir to coat all oats nuts and seeds. Once mixed thoroughly spread out onto a baking sheet and bake in 15 min. intervals, I set a timer for 15 mins. once timer goes off, i stir the granola in the baking sheet and return to oven for another 15 mins. It usually take 3 sets of 15 mins. to dry it out and get it nice and crunchy, if you like the texture after 30 mins you can leave it. Once done leave on baking sheet to cool, then store in a  freezer bag or a glass jar for storage.  Its stays great for at least up to a month mine never lasts longer than a month !


Maple Orange Ginger Granola

4 cups rolled oats
1 cup mixed seeds
1 cup mixed nuts
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice

1/3 cup maple syrup ( or agave, brown rice syrup, brown sugar )
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tsp orange zest
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger

Preheat oven to 375*F
Combine maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice, orange zest and fresh grated ginger in a sauce pan, bring to a simmer on medium heat stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile in a separate bowl combine oats, seeds, nuts cinnamon and allspice.
Once mix comes to a simmer take off heat and stir into your oats mixtures making sure to coat everything evenly, spread out onto a baking sheet and bake in 15 min. intervals, I set a timer for 15 mins. once timer goes off, i stir the granola in the baking sheet and return to oven for another 15 mins. It usually take 3 sets of 15 mins. to dry it out and get it nice and crunchy, if you like the texture after 30 mins you can leave it. Once done leave on baking sheet to cool, then store in a freezer bag or a glass jar for storage. Its stays great for at least up to a month mine never lasts longer than a month !

Coconut Apple Granola

3 cups of rolled oats
2 cups of coconut
2 cups of chopped nuts and seeds

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup applesauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 375*F
Combine brown sugar, applesauce, maple syrup in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer stirring occasionally. In a separate bowl combine oats coconut and seeds and nuts. Once mix is simmered stir in vanilla and pour over oats nuts and seeds, make sure everything is coated nicely. spread out onto a baking sheet and bake in 15 min. intervals, I set a timer for 15 mins. once timer goes off, i stir the granola in the baking sheet and return to oven for another 15 mins. It usually take 3 sets of 15 mins. to dry it out and get it nice and crunchy, if you like the texture after 30 mins you can leave it. Once done leave on baking sheet to cool, then store in a freezer bag or a glass jar for storage. Its stays great for at least up to a month mine never lasts longer than a month !



I posted pictures of the step by step process of making the Peanut butter granola below, these same directions apply for all 3 granolas.

Oats mixed with seeds and nuts

Simmered peanut butter mixture

Oat mixture with peanut butter mixture

The two combined evenly

Then spread in my baking dish lined with parchment

I hope you all take the time to try one of these recipes, I love them all, each are unique in their own way, and bring a exciting new flavor to ice-cream, fruit, smoothies or just as a simple healthy snack when on its own or tossed with mixed dried fruit.