Quinoa Granola

Adapted slightly from The Hungry Hippie 

I've never made homemade granola before.  Many months ago, when I first started thinking about incorporating quinoa into our diets, I found this recipe on Pinterest.  I thought it sounded interesting, but at that time didn't have most of the ingredients that it calls for.  A few months ago, my husband decided he was interested in getting into running and eating healthier foods.  So, off we went to Trader Joe's with a list of healthy ingredients to buy and voila!  I now had all the ingredients I needed for this recipe.

This is really the easiest thing to make.  Anyone can do it.  All you have to do is combine, mix, spread and bake!  I am confident that even my cooking-avoiding husband could handle making it.  I have to give him credit though- while he is not much for cooking, he does help me with dinner quite often by helping with the prep and the clean-up.  Gotta give the guy credit where credit is due!

This granola is so tasty!  It's cinnamon-sweet without being too sweet.  And it's healthy. It's really quite addicting!  It makes a great snack and a great cereal.  My husband approves- I had to ask him to stop eating it so I could snag a few pictures!


Please note:

I had to make some changes from the original recipe in order to use ingredients I had on hand and that my husband and I both like. I didn't have buckwheat so I increased the amount of oats and quinoa and added ground flaxseed and sesame seeds.  I also didn't have any pumpkin seeds.  I would have used them if I did- because we do like them.  Since we didn't have any, I just doubled the amount of sunflower seeds.  And I used salted sunflower seeds because, again, that is what we had on hand.  My husband does like raisins (yet he likes dried cranberries- go figure?).  So I doubled the amount of dried cranberries that the original recipe calls for.  Truly, any dried fruit would work- use what you like!

I used red quinoa, but you can use whatever kind you prefer.  Just make sure that if it is not pre-rinsed, that you rinse it well before using.  Otherwise it will be bitter.  And, no, you don't cook the quinoa for this recipe.  

Now, do yourself a favor and go make some quinoa granola now!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups oats 

1/2 cup quinoa 

2 T chia seeds

2 T ground flaxseed

2 T sesame seeds

3/4 cup raw almonds, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds  

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds  

1/4 cup raw walnuts, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup shredded coconut

2 tsp cinnamon

2/3 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir lightly to combine. Add maple syrup and coconut oil and stir well to combine.

Spread the granola onto the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 60 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool.  Break into pieces and enjoy!