I honestly debated about trying a new granola recipe since my last batch was SO GOOD! However, we all know how much I love to play around in my kitchen?.
But I am so GLAD I did! I did keep all my ingredients raw again because it not only tastes better, but it’s also healthier! Just by altering the ingredients slightly, you’ll get a whole new taste. What’s nice about making homemade granola, you can use whatever nuts, grains, and flavorings you like, or have on hand!
Once again I used lots of my crispy nuts with emphasis on the almonds & walnuts. I purposely left out the raw cocoa for a change of pace but increased the cinnamon and vanilla. Feel free to use whatever you like.
YUM…this is extra crunchy and not too sweet which is also what I love about making homemade granola. Most store bought are a bit too sweet for me plus healthy, grain-free ones are a bit pricey.
This was a perfect treat today after my Mile Repeats. My smoothie bowl has the perfect balance of protein and carbs and this granola is loaded with healthy fats so this is absolutely perfect after a hard workout.
Today was my 2nd week of doing mile repeats (see photo above). My goal was to run my mile repeats close to my A pace from my most recent EAT (8:25).
A you can see, I finished my last mile repeat faster than my first, and to be perfectly honest, felt stronger and more relaxed. I am beginning to think my body may just need a longer warm up?. I give myself at least 10 to 15 minutes of easy running before I start the hard portion of a workout. I was super pumped with today’s last mile since it was faster then the week before and I felt good! Overall I am pleased! Or was I just excited to get home for a smoothie bowl topped with this amazing granola?. Probably!
VANILLA ALMOND GRAIN-FREE GRANOLA
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1 cup raw walnuts
- 1/2 cup raw pecan halves
- 1/2 cup raw hazelnuts
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1 3/4 teaspoon pink Hymilanean sea salt
- 1/2 cup raw honey
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 3/4 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
- 1/2 cup raisins optional
DIRECTIONS:
- Place all nuts and seeds in a bowl, add enough water to cover by 1 inch, and stir in 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover and soak for 24 hours room temp.
- Drain the nuts and seeds and place on a paper towel to absorb the remaining water. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor and pulse the nuts a few times to chop roughly.
- Place the honey, coconut oil, and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add to the food processor with the cinnamon and remaining salt. Pulse once or twice to combine.
- Pour the mixture into a bowl and mix in the coconut with a spoon. Turn the mixture out onto 3 parchment-covered dehydrator trays or use your oven. Spread evenly.
- Dehydrate at 120 for 24 hours. Turn the granola with a spatula a couple times. The granola may be a bit sticky but will crisp up after cooling. See below for oven instructions.
- Transfer to wire racks and cool completely.
TIP: To dehydrate in the oven, place the granola on 2 or 3 parchment-lined baking sheets in the oven at 150 degrees F. Use a wooden spoon to keep the oven door open a crack to let the moisture out. After 2 hours stir the granola carefully. Dry for two more hours. Turn oven off. Dry for 2 more hours with oven door closed. I left mine in the oven over night this time and it worked great. Has the perfect crunch! I will do this again!
Do you have a dehydrator or does your oven go as low as 150 to keep your granola raw?
Have you ran mile repeats lately?
How often do you do pace runs? I keep it to a minimum and run mostly easy.
How much time do you warm up before going into the harder portion of your workout?
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