Make your own healthy granola, it's so easy! Homemade Banana Nut Granola combines rolled oats with bananas, nuts, chia seeds & cinnamon and sweetened with palm sugar and honey for a delicious snack. It's even great for breakfast as a topping for yogurt or sprinkle on some ice cream for a yummy dessert.
I'm a granola addict! I admit it. I love to put granola on or in just about everything - top my yogurt in the morning, add it to parfaits, dredge chicken in it for a crispy coating and even coat chocolate covered banana slices in it for a healthy snack.
But the one thing I won't do is go purchase granola from the store. Who knows what's in that stuff?! Oh, that is aside from too much sugar and chemicals we can't even name! There are several out on the market that do try to stay healthy and keep it more natural like Golden Girl Granola, but not many. Hence the fact that I make my own. It's so simple and you can adjust the amount of sugar added and know exactly what you are getting.
I am really excited about the granola recipe below because it includes my other favorite food - the banana. What could be better than a healthy concoction of nuts, cinnamon, chia seeds, coconut oil and banana?! I always make a big batch once a month, trying different flavors, but always coming back to my favorite Vanilla Almond Granola and this one.
I'm not sure why more people don't make their own but I promise if you try this one you won't be sorry. Next thing you know you'll be whipping up batches every month just like me. You won't believe how much more delicious it is when you make your own!
BANANA NUT GRANOLA
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats (GF for gluten free diets)
- ¾ cup pecans
- ½ cup walnuts
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ Tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
- 3 Tablespoons palm sugar
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- 6 ½ Tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ripe banana mashed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Spray 2 large cookie sheets with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, salt, cinnamon and chia seeds.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix palm sugar, coconut oil and honey. Bring to just boiling to dissolve the sugar.
- Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract and mashed banana.
- Pour over dry ingredients and stir until oats and nuts are completely coated. I like to get my hands dirty and scrunch up with my fingers so the oats get really well coated.
- Spread the mixture onto cookie sheets and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown, tossing once halfway through cooking.
- When done, remove from oven, toss lightly and let cool on cookie sheets.
- Store in tightly sealed container. Mine keeps about 3-4 weeks.
- Makes 4-½ cups.
