So, we all know that not all calories are created equal and if health was simply a matter of consuming the magic number’s worth of calories, there would be no need for healthy food information, right? It’s about nutrition, people. It’s not about your 100 calorie pack of Oreos (that I hope none of you are eating) and more about the one ingredient foods filled with antioxidants, fiber, omega 3’s, healthy fats and lean proteins.
If you take a look at a few snack options such as empty calorie snacks such as processed bags of chips or chocolate- you’re getting the caloric content in the form of hydrogenated oils in the chips and in the form of refined sugar with the chocolate but there is ZERO nutritional value. What’s worst is that these highly refined, highly processed foods actually end up depleting your body of vital nutrients.
The result?
Well, that’s an excess of calories and a deficiency in nutrition, which leads to food cravings.
Empty calorie foods like chips and candy lack the vital nutrients that our bodies need to run optimally. High sugar foods end up slowing down our metabolism and even though so many point system diets may value an orange and a candy bar as the same because they have the same number of calories, the quality is different. The orange is packed with nutrients and the candy bar is void of any nutritional value. The orange will help your immune system, your cells, your mitochondria and much more.
Make sense?
So, today I thought a healthy granola recipe would be the perfect way to show off a fun and healthy snack that you can enjoy without the empty calories and chemicals. Sound good to you?
I hope so.
Get your oven ready – you’re gunna love this recipe!
Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why: The Benefits of Eating Organic.
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1 cup pecans
- 3 Tbsp. flax seeds
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/3 cup shredded coconut flakes
- 2 Tbsp. maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil melted
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries or any other dried fruit you have such as raisins
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
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Combine all ingredients (except cranberries) in a large mixing bowl; toss to combine to ensure everything is coated with maple syrup and vanilla extract.
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Transfer mixture to the prepared baking sheet.
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Bake for 15-20 minutes or until desired crispiness. Remove from the oven; set aside to cool for 10 minutes before serving; add dried cranberries and toss to combine.
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Recipe will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for a week.
This looks great! I need a blender to blend up some of your yummy recipes!!!!
This granola looks amazing! I love smoothies and would really appreciate a proper blender to prepare them….thanks.
looks good. I’d cut the sweet a little and add some cardamum and cinnamon.
When I first read the title I thought it said “Guilt Free”! But you know this is a fabulous guilt AND gluten free snack ♥ Thanks..
This granola looks so yum! I just read your bio and I am so impressed with all that you have accomplished. I love the effort you put into helping others. Last year I read about gluten intolerance and thought it wouldn’t hurt to have one of my children, who was experiencing symptoms I read about, try gluten free for a bit. I just thought it could possibly help and it certainly wouldn’t hurt. Well I decided to support her and after joining her and being gluten free for a couple of weeks I felt like a whole new person! Both of us have seen positive life changes! She is twelve and I thought she had learning disabilities. Since the changes in diet she has caught up in her education and her athletic ability has grown leaps and bounds! I try to encourage friends and family to see if going gluten free will help when they tell me issues I recognize as being helped in my life by changing my diet. Unfortunately most of them think it is too difficult to live a gluten free life style. I am always trying to share yummy gluten free foods with them and they are always surprised at what we Can eat :). Thank you for this website and all that you do to help folks be encouraged to get healthy!
Sincerely ,
Tammie Smith
Ps. Thank you for the opportunity to win a blender as well!
This would be great to top frozen desserts made with a new blender (hint hint
Ooh I love homemade granola-definitely pinning this.
Would love to win the blender and not sure where to leave the comment. Been to you site before. It’s very well done! Keep up the good work fellow foodie!
I would love to win the blender for smoothies! I bought my parents one for Christmas! This would be a present for me!!!! Thank you for the contests and providing us good info for our health!
Trying to figure out where to leave a comment for that awesome blender giveaway! 🙂
Hi! Looks good! I will try this granola recipe.
This granola looks AMAZING! I have a long list of granolas to try (and I have a huge stash of my mom’s amazing granola in my freezer), but this one might jump to the top 🙂 I love a big scoop of granola mixed into my green smoothies in the morning. That way a) I have more fats and protein in my breakfast and b) I can chew my smoothie, which makes such a big difference for me in terms of feeling satisfied. Thanks for another amazing recipe 🙂
You didn’t specify organic cranberries. The information I gave IS TRUE for regular cranberries. And I did make my own dried cranberries without any added sugar or fruit juice. If you like tart, they will satisfy. 🙂
My point is, lots of people buy (regular) dried cranberries thinking that they are good for you because we’re told that they are. They aren’t aware of the added sugars. Yes, buying organic is definetly the way to go or make your own.
I agree completely Karen; thank you so much for sharing this info. I agree-it’s so sad all the sugar and junk brands are putting into healthy fruits! Thanks! xox
This looks really delicious except for one thing. The amount of sugar used in dried cranberries is outrageous! Your article talks about the dangers of sugar, and yet dried cranberries are used to make the granola. 🙁 Craisins have 65 grams of sugar per 100 grams. Regular dried cranberries have 26 grams of sugar per 40 gram serving. 🙁
Karen, that is not processed sugar- sugar from fruit is not processed like table sugar. You can use less cranberries if you’d like. Thanks!
But it isn’t sugar from fruit…..the cranberries are soaked in a sugar water. I just did research on this 2 weeks ago. I was so disappointed to learn of this.
Karen, I’m not sure WHAT cranberries you are buying but this is NOT true if you buy pure organic cranberries without any additives. Yes most brands like Craisins are awful and of course Ocean Spray adds sugar- look for real brands that don’t add anything. Buy organic without added sugar and you will see. Or make your own. Thanks!
Looks like a terrific recipe, but tell me there’s a typo on the nutritional info…
Yes, Janet; it’s correct now.Thanks!
This sounds so good. I’ve never really had granola. Do you eat by itself or put on things? Also, when you say prepared baking sheet, do you mean greased or parchment paper.
You can put it on parchment paper. Enjoy Maria!!
Amie, I thought flax seeds had to be ground to be useful to our bodies. I’ve made other granolas with ground flax seed included. Is there any reason to keep the flax seeds whole?
Linda, you are correct. I always eat them ground but I wanted to use them whole for this recipe because I wanted to make the granola high in omega 3’s without nuts or flour. Thanks!
Amie- this looks wonderful! Will share with others- thanks
Thank you Shirley!!!!
I love this recipe. I have been making granola for a while, but have been looking for a better way and this is it. Is there any way to make this into bars? My husband thought it would be good to bring with you.
Thanks Diana; so nice to hear from you! I haven’t tried to make it into bars but you could try by adding 1/4 cup of honey and some almond flour!
I love homemade granola! This looks amazing! Adding nut butter to granola makes it so clumpy and irresistible.
Thanks Laura; hope you love it! Enjoy xoxoxx