I have been trying to find healthy and clean granola in stores but to no avail. I mean, if granola was loaded with sugar and isn’t actually clean and healthy I would rather be eating chips and ice cream.

I decided to make my own granola one day after finding out how simple it actually is! My motive here is to make a really clean and healthy concoction. If you have no wish to eat clean you could alter it to your preference adding chocolate or sugar in it (but then again I would advise you to have chips and ice cream instead because that’s more satisfying, at least for me), but granola is supposed to be healthy food in my opinion so we should go all out to keep it that way.

As with all other recommendations on this blog, I do not recommend anything tasteless and disgusting; so even though this recipe is a healthier choice it doesn’t compromise on the taste!

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups of organic 100% rolled oats
2. 3tbsp organic raw honey (or maple syrup)
3. ½ cup raw nuts (I have raw cashew and raw almonds but feel free to use whichever you prefer!)
4. ½ cup seeds (I have sunflower, pumpkin, flax and black sesame)
5. 2 tbsp organic coconut oil
6. ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
7. Desiccated coconut

Note:

• The amount can be up to your own discretion and you can choose to add whatever you want. The above is simply a guideline. I chose the seeds because these are super foods and packed with goodness which I hope to incorporate in my daily diet.
  
• Coconut oil is a good idea because it doesn’t turn rancid, as opposed to other oils like canola or olive oil. The coconut taste is a bonus. In Singapore, the weather is hardly ever below 25 degrees and the oil will definitely stay in liquid phase so we have no problems using it. In cooler climates, the coconut oil may solidify and melting it before use is necessary.
  

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 150 deg Celsius
2. Mix all ingredients except desiccated coconut in a large bowl and mix well
3. On a lined baking tray, spread mixture thinly and bake for 15 – 20 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
5. Add desiccated coconut sparingly to taste.

    

The result was delicious! It was very coconuty and I like it that way. I found the sweetness level to be just right for me and this was achieved without added sugar. However I might go easy on the sunflower or pumpkin seeds next time because I found that it interferes with my coconut flavour. The reason for adding desiccated coconut only after everything was because the coconut was already dried and I was thinking it may get burnt if baked together.

As for how to eat the finished product – well you could have it like cereal and top it with milk and fruits (I used unsweetened almond milk) or have it with yogurt. It may be too dry to have on its own but nobody said that isn’t allowed too!