Make your own healthy homemade granola cereal and skip the box! This is the best granola recipe that you can easily customize!
Raising my family meant our budget got stretched often. I had three very active kids, who were in taekwondo. Their classes were 3 hours long, 5 days a week. To say that they ate a lot was an understatement.
In order to keep our grocery budget under control, I had to learn to cook. I spent hours reading cookbooks and trying out new recipes. One of the first things I learned to make for myself was cereal. Homemade granola, to be exact.
What is granola?
It's a homemade cereal, usually made with rolled oats, nuts or seeds, dried fruit, and some form of sweetener such as maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar. Most granolas have some form of oil like coconut oil, or even olive oil added to help toast the oats as well.
When you make granola, you can easily customize it and add your favorite items such as shredded coconut, chocolate chips, and more. Here is my basic, healthy granola recipe to get you started.
Ingredients you need:
- Rolled oats
- Coconut oil
- Honey
- Water
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Dried fruit (I used dried blueberries here)
- Sunflower seeds
- Chopped cashews
Making your homemade granola recipe:
- Preheat oven and grab a large baking sheet.
- Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, and stir well.
- Spread on sheet pan, and bake, stirring often.
- Allow to cool, then store and serve.
Is granola healthy?
As far as homemade granola over boxed cereals, it is far healthier. You can control the sugar content, the amount of fruit, and if you have an allergy to a nut, you can substitute it, or leave it out.
Of course, you will want to keep the serving size to the "recommended" amount, because too much of a good thing can be bad.
How do I store this?
I like to use ziploc bags, or a large glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Granola can be stored at room temperature, in your pantry, for up to 3 months. Generally, it will go stale before it would mold or go bad in other ways.
How to customize this granola recipe:
- Swap out the nuts for additional sunflower seeds or chia seeds.
- Add flax seeds for more fiber.
- For a vegan granola, replace the honey with agave or maple syrup.
- Try using erythritol instead of honey for less added sugar.
What to serve with this homemade granola:
Other recipes you'll love:
- Strawberry Coconut Granola
- Granola Parfaits
- Apple Pie Oatmeal
- Blueberry Almond Overnight Oats
- Strawberry Chia Overnight Oats
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