I like to start the new year with a clean slate and cleaned out kitchen. It means emptying every cabinet, drawer and pantry. Plus, the fridge and freezer. Everything is wiped clean and expiration dates are checked. Finally, ingredients are either returned to their shelves or lined up on the counter to be used up ASAP. Do you like crunchy granola?

I don’t throw any food out, but take those half empty bags and containers of oats, seeds, nuts and extracts and toss them together to make a really simple, but great crunchy granola. Hey, I think this might even be called a “clean” recipe. (Just another trendy buzz word for eliminating processed foods from your diet.) Anyway, it’s not too sweet thanks to Organic Blue Agave Nectar and gets a favor burst from some Celtic Sea Salt and vanilla bean powder. It’s addictive and another one of my recipes that gives you complete freedom to customize to your own taste. I hope you are inspired by what’s in your cabinets and pantry. Go clean.

Crunchy Granola

Author: Lisa Keys
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 75 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Scale

2 ½ cups rolled oats

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup chopped hazelnuts

½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

¼ cup sesame seeds

2 teaspoons vanilla bean powder

½ cup organic blue agave

¼ cup coconut oil

1-teaspoon hazelnut extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

1 cup dried cherries

Instructions

Heat oven 250F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In large bowl, toss oats, almonds, hazelnuts, coconut, sesame seeds, vanilla bean powder.
In small saucepan, over low heat, warm agave and coconut oil.
Remove from heat; stir in hazelnut and almond extract.
Drizzle agave mixture over oat mixture, stirring until oat mixture is moistened.
Spoon granola on baking sheet flattening it out into an even layer. Sprinkle with the salt.
Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes for even browning.
Cool. Stir in dried cherries. Store in airtight container.

Category: dessert
Method: oven

Keywords: granola, blue agave, nuts and seeds, oats