Cinnamon Maple Granola (Vegan)

Two things have always bothered me about granola. One is how expensive it is for basically what appears to be “toasted oatmeal” with some nuts added to it. And secondly, and how unhealthy the store bought offerings are. That is why I started making my own granola. It’s more affordable and I have more control about what is actually going into the granola so I can make it a little healthier. Countless versions and types of granola exist out there, add whatever kind of nuts you like and if you want a more nutritious granola sprinkle in some hemp or pumpkin seeds. For an additional layer of texture or sweetness feel free to add some dried fruit in at the end! I like dried currants because they are tinier and tastier than boring old raisins!

Ingredients:

4 cups of organic sprouted, rolled oats

1 cup of finely chopped walnuts

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

4 Tablespoons ground flaxseeds

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

3/4 Tablespoon sea salt

1/4 cup coconut oil or grape seed oil, any neutral oil will do

3/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon maple extract

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients and stir. In a small bowl combine the wet ingredients and stir. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir, making sure the granola is fully coated. Spread the granola between 3–4 parchment lined cookie sheets and bake for 30-40 mins. Use a spatula to gently flip the granola and place in the oven for another 30-40 minutes or until the granola have reached you desired state of crunchiness! Allow to cool before packaging!