Almond Butter Granola
11 Aug
I’m moving in a few weeks. Anyone who has ever moved before will probably agree that it’s one of the LEAST enjoyable tasks in life.
Actually, let me rephrase that. PACKING and then UNPACKING all of my crap precious stuff is the worst part, while actually being in a new place doesn’t bother me.
In fact, if you know me, you know I like to change things up pretty often if I get the chance…I love the new possibilities and the change of scenery.
What does any of this have to do with granola? Nothing, now that I think about it. Nothing what-so-ever. But, granola is super yum-town and I finally didn’t burn this batch.
At this point in my stressful life, I have to celebrate the little things that make me happy! =)
Almond Butter Granola
This is an awesome recipe because it’s so versatile and you can throw in practically anything you want, or have on hand. I used cranberries, raisins, goji berries, odds & ends of cashews, pecans, sunflower & pumpkin seeds, and it turned out crunchy and not overly sweet- perfect!
Ingredients:
Dry:
* 2 Cups Old-fashioned Oats
* 1/2 Cup Mixed Nuts, roughly chopped (I used cashews, pecans, sunflower seeds, and shelled pumpkin seeds)
* 1/2 Cup Uncooked Buckwheat
* 2 Tbsp Ground Flax
* 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds
* 2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds
* 1/2 tsp salt
Wet:
* 3 Tbsp Applesauce
* 3 Tbsp Almond Butter
* 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
* 1/8 Cup Honey, 1/8 Cup Maple Syrup (or all honey, all maple syrup, or even agave would work)
* 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
* 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
Mix-Ins:
* 1/4 Cup Raisins
* 1/4 Cup Cranberries
* 1/8 Cup Goji Berries
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325* F.
Combine all of the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
Combine wet ingredients except for the extracts in a separate, microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture and stir to coat. The mixture will seem a little dry at first, but it will all come together!
Spread the mixture out evenly on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown, stirring about every 5 minutes.
Let the mixture cool for 20 minutes, and then stir in your mix-ins.
Stored in an air-tight container, this should last for about a month, but it probably won’t…if you know what I’m saying! =)
(You can also make this gluten free by using gluten free oats)
I hope you’re all enjoying your week!
Excuse me while I go take a shot of granola (or three) and get back to packing.
