This Rawsome Vegan Life: MAPLE HAZELNUT GRANOLA

Hey, fam! September is here, and that means some of us are BACK! IN! SCHOOL! I have been working my way through an undergrad for about 100 years, and that’s no different this semester. So: I’ve been inspired to create some easy, nutritious and delicious recipes, that I can eat at home or on campus. One of these recipes is granola. It’s been a fave food of mine ever since I was a kid. When I realized a few years ago how simple granola is to make yourself, there was no going back to your average store-bought varieties. Seriously: you throw some oats in a bowl, mix them around with nuts and maple syrup, then bake it all for 40 minutes. Voila. Perfect, fresh, and fragrant granola every time. It makes a quick breakfast before school, a light snack, or a terrific topping for ice cream and other sweet treats. 

Rolled oats are the main ingredient in granola, and (if you like eating them) they are great for you! My favourite rolled oats are from . I prefer One Degree’s because they’re sprouted, i.e. more nutritous and easier on the tummy. Rolled oats an excellent source of soluble fibre; they’re rich in micronutrients and antioxidants; they may help with your cholesterol levels and blood health; and they keep ya regular. This is a pretty nutty granola, thanks to hazelnuts and cashews. They’ve got lots of healthy fats, and make the texture and flavour of this recipe simply dreamy. I also threw in hemp seeds and Brazil nuts for extra protein and selenium.

I highly recommend adding a bit of chocolate to your granola once it’s out of the oven and cooled down. I usually eat my granola with non-dairy milk, or non-dairy yogurt, and fresh and frozen fruit. The bowl pictured in this post features the granola with vanilla soy yogurt, chopped dark chocolate, and sliced banana. I added frozen blueberries after I finished photographing. You can keep this recipe raw by using a dehydrator instead of an oven, but the flavour is about 1000% better if you bake it at a higher temperature. Your choice, my friend! I hope you all enjoy this recipe, and are adjusting well to the back-to-school routine if that’s your situation! Talk soon!

xo, 

em

MAPLE HAZELNUT GRANOLA
Makes around 5 cups. Print the recipe.

3 cups One Degree Organics
1 cup roughly chopped hazelnuts
1/2 cup roughly chopped cashews
1/3 cup roughly chopped Brazil nuts
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1 teaspoon flaked sea salt
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup coconut oil

Preheat an oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the maple syrup and coconut oil to the bowl of dry ingredients and mix everything up evenly. Spread out onto a large baking sheet (lined with parchment paper, or not) and bake for 20 minutes. Mix up the granola with a spatula or spoon, and put it back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes. Check towards the end of the baking time to make sure it’s not burning. Let cool, and enjoy! Store in airtight glassware (like a glass jar) in the fridge or a dark, cool cupboard. This will stay fresh for 2-3 weeks.

Notes: If you want to make this low-sugar, use as little maple syrup as you prefer. Compensate with a few more tablespoons of coconut oil. Alternatively, if you want to make this low-fat, substitute more maple syrup for less coconut oil. 


Other optional additions and substitutions: A splash of vanilla extract would be lovely. You can substitute any nuts or seeds for any others. Chocolate chips would work well instead of chopped chocolate. Dried fruit would be good added after baking too. 

This post is sponsored by , because I gotta pay the bills somehow! All opinions and words are my own. I only partner with companies I actually like, and mention ingredients I actually use.