As busy as our weekday mornings can be, they don’t have to be breakfast deprived. I, for one, cherish every second of my mornings even when I have to get an early start. So perhaps I don’t always step out of the house with a fab blow out and flawless makeup, but there are two things I never compromise on: Caffeine and breakfast. I love a filling and healthy breakfast but sometimes I don’t have time to cook up a storm and this is where my quick and healthy granola comes in. The ingredients are simple enough that you may already have all or most of them sitting right in your pantry, if not, well most of the ingredients can be swapped out for something else. There’s really no excuse for starting your morning off right.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups of Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
1/4 Cup of Organic Unrefined Coconut Oil (can be swapped for any oil of choice)
2 Tbsp of Pure Organic Maple Syrup (No Aunt Jemima here! Stick to honey or agave as an alternative)
1Tsp of Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Tsp of Pure Almond Extract
1/2 Tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice (or just use cinnamon)
1/2 Tsp of Salt
1/2 Cup of Nuts/Seeds of any kind
1/4 Cup of Dried (Unsweetened) Coconut, optional
1/2 Tbsp of Brown Sugar
Directions:
Here’s the easy part! Preheat the oven to 375. Melt the coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl for about 30 seconds till completely liquid. Add the maple syrup, almond/vanilla extracts, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Next, add the oats, nuts and coconut flakes and mix till evenly coated. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay out the granola mixture evenly into a thin layer (you want it to toast so create the thinnest layer possible). Evenly sprinkle 1/2 tbsp of brown sugar on top and place in the oven to bake for about 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for about 15 minutes so that it gets even crunchier and serve with a little almond milk or greek yogurt.
(the granola mixture before going into the oven)
(my favorite way to eat granola, with a little plain greek yogurt)
Tip: Check on the granola every 5 minutes and toss so that it bakes evenly
Simple as that! Double the batch for a larger quantity. You can pack it and take it on the go or have it as a pre-workout snack to fuel your day with the perfect blend of carbs, fats and protein.
XOXO,
Kelly