Blueberry Coconut Granola

Toasted coconut, almonds, blueberries, and crunch. Is there anything else you need in your breakfast or mid morning snack? Don’t answer that. I loooooove breakfast but always find it hard make time to eat in the morning at home. I can manage the coffee and making myself presentable thing but breakfast is usually at the desk or on the go. So yeah, granola fits the “easy to eat” category but it’s so expensive, right? Wrong – make your own. 

Granola is made of a few “key” ingredients and then you can kinda mix and match the rest. Don’t like blueberries? Well for one, you’re nuts – but you can easily throw in some dried cherries/cranberries/whatever you want. You start with oats, add some texture like chia or flax, a little sweetener, and BAM – you’ve got your granola base. Yes folks, it is that easy.

This week has been super crazy. Between birthdays and Thanksgiving and trying to find the perfect Christmas gift for everyone in my family, I managed to make it all the way to Monday without a double espresso. Seems dramatic, I know. But, I have been trying to kick my coffee/caffeine addiction and today I just couldn’t do it. Plus, when you work for a food company, there always seems to be good coffee and snacks everywhere so it’s pretty easy to convince yourself you absolutely need the double and not the single shot because, why the heck not?

In my not so abundant free time I have been riding my bike (inside – boring) and trying to perfect my vegan pecan pie recipe before Christmas. Seeing as I missed the Thanksgiving opportunity for pie, I figured Christmas will be my second chance. I tried a few variations/combinations of different recipes but it’s still missing something… more to come on that note. But anyways, this recipe is a keeper and I promise you won’t need to change a thing.

This recipe is one of my favorites. It’s a little less sweet than your normal store-bought granola but the coconut adds something different. The base of this recipe is very similar to my “Nuts About You” granola that calls for an olive oil/agave combination instead of maple syrup. If you aren’t vegan, you can use honey which I made a loooong time ago and is also pretty delicious.

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Blueberry Coconut Granola

Servings: 5 cups granola

Time: 45 minutes

 

Ingredients:

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• 1 cup dried blueberries
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 2 TBSP chia seeds
• 2 TBSP flax seeds
• 1 TBSP cinnamon
• 1 TBSP nutmeg (optional)
• 1 TBSP vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/2 cup maple syrup (agave also works as a substitute)

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 deg F.
2. Place dry ingredients (oats, almonds, blueberries, chia seeds, flax, spices, and coconut flakes) in a large bowl and mix evenly.
3. Add melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to dry mixture.
4. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are moist.
5. Place raw granola on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone sheets. Spread evenly.
6. Place baking sheet in the oven for 15 minutes.
7. Remove after 15 minutes and mix granola with a wooden spoon. Don’t skip this step otherwise your granola won’t bake evenly.
8. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the granola starts to brown. The last few minutes are the most important because this granola can go from toasty to burnt pretty quick so keep an eye on it.
9. Let cool for 30-45 minutes.
10. Serve with your favorite yogurt, fruit, or ice cream.