Think whole grain. Think happiness on a spoon. Think perfectly balanced goodness.

Think granola.

This simple granola recipe is like eating pie BUT with a fraction of the work. Yogurt + fresh home grown fruit + granola = HEAVEN. And I have proof.

This granola recipe has been described as something angels would make.

It’s simple, whole food you can make a pile of and have it on hand for a few days until your team plows through it and asks for more.

Eating more whole grain each day is important for a few reasons. Your body will begin to see the benefits when you eat just one serving of whole grain per day - shooting for 3 servings per day is optimal to see optimal results.

What results?

The following 4 benefits have been shown in repeated studies (www.wholegraincouncil.org)

stroke risk reduced 30-36%
type 2 diabetes risk reduced 21-30%
heart disease risk reduced 25-28%
better weight maintenance

I'd like that, especially because I ate something so delicious!

I’ve been known to eat yogurt + fresh peaches + granola for dinner. Oh man, that sounds so good.

Granola isn’t just for yogurt either.

Think about these 5 options:

Pancakes – either cooked in the batter or sprinkled on top = BAM!
Oatmeal (currently in LOVE with steel cut) + milk + blackberries + granola = INCREDIBLE
Vanilla ice cream + rhubarb (sweetened pie filling type) + granola = REJUVINATING
Mix it into biscotti or other cookie dough = YUM!
You know how I feel about chia seed pudding BUT pudding + granola = EXCELLENT

Hummm, I haven’t chucked it into a smoothie yet but I have blended all of its individual ingredients into a smoothie….gunna call that a winner = WHOLE GRAIN THE KIDS DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT.

SIMPLE HIPPY SCHMIPPY GRANOLA

6 cups oatmeal (I use regular rolled)
1 cup unsweetened coconut (even found this at Walmart!)
1 cup chopped nuts
¾ cup canola oil (substitute coconut oil if you like)
½ cup honey

OPTIONAL: chia seed, hemp hearts, flax seed

Grab a big mixing bowl and add oatmeal, coconut and nuts and mix to blend evenly. Measure and pour oil on top of mixture. Use same measuring cup (honey will just slide out) and eyeball honey and pour over mixture. Mix to blend and pour onto a cookie sheet with a lip. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, pull it out, stir. Put back in the oven for 6-8 minutes. DO NOT let it completely brown in the oven. It will continue to cook after you pull it out. If it browns perfectly in the oven it will over-toast as it cools and it isn’t as tasty. It can also be done in a solar oven for you extreme granola types.

Thanks for liking, sharing, telling your buddies and for leaving comments! Without you, I wouldn't be reaching more people each week. THANKS!!!

Happy Baking!

Brooke