Name: Maple and Olive Oil Granola
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs. sprouted rolled oats (24 oz or 6 cups); 1 cup flaxmeal; 3 cups soaked and dehydrated mixed nuts (I used walnuts, pecans, almonds and peanuts. Avoid nuts with added vegetable oils.); 1 cup seeds (I used sunflower, pepita, sesame, and chia seeds); 2 teaspoons cinnamon; 1 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1 cup real maple syrup; 1 cup dried cranberries (optional); 1.5 cups raisins (optional)

This post was updated on 6/18/21

^{This hearty, nutty granola is one of my favorite family recipes}

A Favorite Family Recipe

Ah, granola. One of my favorite treats. What better embodiment of natural sweetness and wholesomeness is there than this oat-y snack? I grew up eating this granola — my parents started making it when I was in middle school, and I’ve often had it for breakfast over the years. It was always a treat when they sent me some granola as a college student and when I volunteered in Nicaragua for a year. Eventually I learned how to make it and was surprised at how easy it is.

^{A hearty granola packed with sprouted oats, nuts and seeds}

Jump to Recipe

A Hearty, Filling Breakfast or Snack

At first I started out sprinkling the granola on top of our local generic brand of Chex cereal (called “Crispy Hexagons” from Market Basket). Then I graduated to a bowl of just granola with some milk. You don’t need as big of a bowl as most other cereals since the fiber and protein fills you up quickly. It keeps you full longer than other cereals too. I’ve updated this recipe little by little over the years, using maple syrup so it’s crunchier, adding chia seeds and flax meal, and using sprouted outs to lower the phytic acid. The result is a wonderful breakfast treat or snack that I occasionally make for my family.

Even though now I usually eat eggs, smoothies, or meal replacement coffee instead of breakfast, my kids love to eat this granola for breakfast or as a snack. My husband eats it by the handful, and I find myself making room in my diet to include this irresistible granola with some raw yogurt or kefir. It is just so good and satisfying.

^{This granola bakes up crisp, with large sections you can pick off and snack on.}

Choosing the Right Ingredients

It’s important to be careful with which ingredients you use for this granola. I use sprouted oats as the base. Sprouted oats have been soaked and dehydrated to remove some of the phytic acid. Phytic acid steals minerals from your body, can lead to tooth decay, and can cause indigestion. Usually when we consume oats, I soak them overnight with apple cider vinegar and then cook them the next morning. Sprouted oats don’t have all the phytic acid removed (nor do cooked oats) so it’s important to balance out your diet with plenty of foods that don’t contain phytic acid, such as pasture raised animal products, raw dairy, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats.

Another word of caution is choosing nuts and seeds. If possible, it is best to soak nuts for 6 to 8 hours and then dehydrate them until crisp. You can also buy sprouted nuts in some health food stores, but they are quite expensive. I soak and dehydrate walnuts, pecans and almonds. The seeds tend to have lower phytic acid content, so I don’t worry about those. Unless you give up all grains, nuts, seeds and legumes, it’s impossible to avoid all phytic acid. Many people (including my family) are not willing to do that, so we strive for a balance between trying to eliminate as much phytic acid as possible and not overconsuming these foods.

If you are not able to use nuts that have had some of the phytic acid removed through soaking or dehydrating, at least choose nuts that have no vegetable oils added. Vegetable oils include soybean, canola, rapeseed, cottenseed, corn, safflower, ricebran, and sunflower. This article goes into detail on how they are made and how they harm the body. Better fats and oils to use for cooking are animal fats (butter, lard, tallow, etc.), avocado oil, coconut oil, and olive oil, which is what I use in this granola recipe.

And lastly, when I add dried fruit to this granola, I choose organic raisins and organic cranberries that have been sweetened with juice instead of sugar. It’s not crucial that the cranberries be sweetened with juice, it’s just a personal preference.

^{Sometimes I add dried fruit to the granola; other times we enjoy it with seasonal fruit.}

Baking the Granola

It’s a super simple recipe to make once you have the right ingredients. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix up your ingredients (except for the optional dried fruit) and spread it evenly on the pans. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Let cool, then add optional cranberries and raisins and store in airtight containers.

This is a great recipe to make while you are preparing other food for the week. It’s mostly hands off and makes a lot if you are feeding a crowd or want to have quick breakfasts and snacks on hand for your family.

Let me know if you make this recipe and how you like it. It’s definitely one of our favorites, and I am excited to share it with you.

Happy cooking, and until next time,

Rebekah

Other Breakfast Recipes to Enjoy

Perfect Overnight Oatmeal: Customize it any way you like. This is how my kids most often consume oats. Soaked, cooked, and with cream, raisins, and cinnamon.
Perfect Scrambled Eggs: Eggs, anyone? I love these for breakfast or an easy dinner with greens on the side.
Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls: A truly special breakfast treat that is lovely for sharing.