Make Ahead

Go-To Granola

May 10, 2020
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Photo by michelleeatswell
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 25 minutes
  • Makes 2 cups
Author Notes

Versatile, nutrient-packed granola (gluten-free, nut-free option, vegan) that you can customize to your desired flavors and mix-ins and sweetness level! Note: Banana serves as a binder to help the granola form clusters, but if you don’t like the flavor and prefer to omit, you can double the amount of nut butter listed, or substitute banana with 2 Tbsp of coconut oil. —michelleeatswell

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Basic Ingredients
  • 1/2 large banana, mashed
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons nut butter or seed butter (I used sunflower seed butter)
  • 1.5-2 tablespoons maple syrup (adjust to your sweetness preference)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Customizable Mix-Ins (use what you have or prefer!)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
  • 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup goji berries or other dried fruit (small pieces)
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, mash the banana and stir with the nut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (including mix-ins). To help make the dried fruit stickier to the granola, blanch them quickly in warm water and then drain the liquid before adding the dried fruit with the other mix-ins.
  4. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to evenly coat.
  5. Spread the granola as a thin layer onto a baking sheet. For more clustered granola, pack the granola closer together. Bake for ~25-30 minutes until golden.
  6. Remove from oven and let cool completely. The granola will become crisper as it cools. Break apart the pieces into desired size. If the granola seems soft, place the baking sheet back into the (turned off) oven and let it sit there for a bit longer (but mark a timer! don’t forget about it).
  7. Store in an airtight container in the fridge, which will last a few weeks. Can also be frozen to last even longer.

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