Winter Cranberry Almond Granola

When I was a kid, my go-to breakfast was super sugary cereal. Now don’t get me wrong, I still indulge in the occasional bowl of Lucky Charms, but I feel like I should be eating something a little more dignified in the morning now that I’m in my mid-twenties.

Enter granola. I’ve been making my own granola for a while now, and I don’t know that I’ll ever go back to buying it in the store. When you make our own, not only do you save money, but you also have full control over the ingredients that go into your recipe. Seriously, this is so simple and quick, it takes me less time to make this granola than it would to drive to the store and buy it. I love the combination of almond and cranberry, because I feel like the sweetness of the almond is balanced by the tartness of the cranberry. I usually eat mine with almond milk.

I started by throwing all my dry ingredients into a bowl. The uncooked quinoa is not a necessary additive, but I like the extra texture it lends to the mixture. For the nuts, I used a mixture of raw almond slices and slivers, but use whatever tickles your fancy! I did it this way because it’s what I had handy, which is part of why I love this recipe. Keep in mind that if you use roasted almonds, wait to add them until the granola has already baked.

In a separate bowl, I added my more liquid ingredients. The main sweet element in this recipe is honey. I used local honey I bought at the farmer’s market, but it has the comb in, so I had to strain it before I added it to the bowl.

Now, this next part is a little tricky, so stick with me here. You have to… mix the wet ingredients into the dry ones. Then, spread the mixture on a parchment paper-layered cookie sheet and bake at 300^o F for 40-45 minutes, giving the mixture a stir at the 20 minute mark. I know, it sounds really technical and hard, but you can do it!

Another great thing about making your own granola is that it makes your home smell amazing. Once your granola is finished, take it out and let it cool. Finally, add the craisins. I store mine in an air-tight container, and it should keep for about a month (even though it never lasts that long).

If you end up making this, let me know in the comments! I hope everyone is having a wonderful day!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 2 tbsp uncooked quinoa
• 1 cup raw almond slices or slivers
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup honey
• A little less than 1/2 cup melted coconut oil (about 6tbsp)
• 2 tbsp whisked egg whites
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1 cup craisins

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300^o F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Add the oats, quinoa, almonds, cinnamon, and salt to a large bowl and combine.
3. In a separate bowl, add the honey, melted coconut oil, egg whites, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, mixing until completely combined.
5. Spread the mixture on the baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes, stirring the granola at the 20 minute mark.
6. Remove from the oven and let cool. Add the craisins and store in an air-tight container.