I’m so excited to share the healthy holiday granola I am giving to friends and family this season! (If you are my friend or family member that is going to get one of these – sorry for ruining the surprise!) This granola makes the perfect breakfast to replace cereal or snack and/or holiday gift. I used my basic recipe for granola but purposely chose pistachios and red dried fruits like cherries, goji berries and cranberries for the ingredients to create a festive look.
This granola recipe is really perfect to make anytime of year – not just the holidays and sure does beat the overly processed kind you buy at the grocery store that is full of refined sugar, inflammatory oils, and added artificial or natural flavoring.
To create the gift containers, I used leftover Luna’s Living Kitchen Juice Glass Jars and brushed off the glue gun to glue some pretty ribbon around the bottles to cover up their logo. I could have easily bought inexpensive mason jars, but was looking forward to reusing these all year long – I drink A LOT of their organic raw juice! I still have many jars left that I haven’t used and plan to use them all year round (think baby showers, bridal showers, kids parties, etc… all you need to do is change the ribbon and out comes the perfect party favor!)
Word to the wise: Make sure you add dried fruit in after baking, this will keep them from drying out too much, keeping them yummy and chewy. This is especially true for goji berries.
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 2 cups of raw nuts of your choice (I used pistachios and almonds)
- ¾ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
- ¾ cup dried cherries, goji berries or cranberries
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees
- Combine all ingredients except for dried fruit and mix well
- Place mixture on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- Bake for 1 hour (stirring every 20 mins so all sides evenly brown)
- Remove granola from oven and let cool
- Stir in dried fruit
- Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks
Hope you share this recipe with friends and family this holiday season and all year round 🙂
Cheers!
Food Babe
Love it! I will definitely make this and may also try them as gifts in my leftover Luna jars. Question: Where are you getting shelled unsalted pistachios in bulk? Also, where (or what brands if you are ordering on line) are you getting dried cherries and cranberries without any added sugars? Thanks!!!
I get mine from Green Polka Dot Box (online) or at healthy home market or berrybrook farms. I haven’t seen them at Whole Foods or Earth Fare in a while. Hope that helps! Love that you have left over jars to use.
Thanks Food Babe. I am a super fan! Made my day to hear from you on my questions. 🙂
Can I use quick cooking oats for this recipe?
You could… but I love the texture of rolled oats.
ok thanks! I thought they were interchangeable!
I’ve never made granola before.. Can’t wait to try this delicious recipe! Yummm. 🙂
I just want to say i have been trying to inform a lot of people around me about all this but most of them just think i am crazy! It’s very nice to see someone else talk exactly same stuff i do and love to try and help people with health! Now i have good solid proof to show them >:)
Looks delicious, wish I wasn’t allergic to oats! I used to eat a “gluten free diet” not knowing I was allergic to corn, oats, barley, amaranth, quinoa… most of the stuff substituted for gluten! I recommend being tested for all foods. I am in the “dying off” period but I don’t mind because it’s for a good reason!! 🙂
Robin,
The Food Co-op in my town offers Gluten-free oats in bulk. If this is a possibility for you, maybe you can find a supplier on-line. I never knew oats had gluten in them! Now I’m educated 🙂
Most oats are gluten-free depending on how they are processed. Sometimes they can get contaminated but they usually will only bother a person who has severe problems, like Celiac disease. The previous poster stated they are allergic to many of the gluten replacement grains.
All oats are naturally gluten free. The reason those on gluten-free diets or who are celiac can not eat them is because of cross contamination in the trucks, processing plant and bagging facilities.
You don’t recommend soaking the oats first?
Is there something that I can sub for the coconut? I love the taste of it, not the texture.
Yes – you could use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. Also – you can use grass-fed butter instead of coconut oil (however, you can’t really taste the coconut oil).
To those who are gluten-free, don’t forget to buy gluten-free oats. I will probably try this, either to bring as a holiday treat or as a holiday gift.
Do you have suggestions for making this nut free. My son is allergic to nuts and coconut
Yes – you could substitute sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds instead the nuts and coconut. Good Luck!
I love Granola and can not wait to try this and share it .
Let us know what you think!
Love it!! I am going to make this today! I’m going to use almond extract instead of vanilla (we have a love affair going on)!! Thank you Vani for another wonderful recipe!
Xo
Kathleen
Sounds yummy! I love the flavor and aroma from almond extract. Happy Holidays 🙂
Hi Vani! I love granola and I will definitely make your version soon! I’ve also been using my blender to make your awesome shakes, and now I’m interested in buying a juicer to make your green juices. Is there a particular juicer that you would most recommend? (I would love the Norwalk, but I can’t afford it right now since it is about the same price as what I pay for a semester in grad school!)
Here are some great options! https://foodbabe.com/2011/10/23/day-2-all-about-juicers-recap/
How do you stir it if you have it spread on the parchment paper? Also can I use this recipe for granola bars too or do you have another recipe for those?
I use a spatula and kinda flip it around 🙂 These don’t work well for granola bars because there isn’t enough “sticky” stuff to keep them together. You could try adding honey instead of maple syrup.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/homemade-chewy-granola-bars/detail.aspx This is my favorite recipe for granola bars but I butcher it so much I should just write up my own. I use molasses instead of corn syrup, bran instead of wheat germ (cause I have it), other dried fruit when I have it, rolled oats instead of instant but you can use this recipe to see the proportions. The most important part of the bars (in my opinion) is making sure to press them firmly down into the pan and to NOT overcook them or they become crumbly. I’m looking forward to this granola recipe. Been thinking about that as we wean away from any packaged cereals…
I’ve been considering, somehow, making my granola into granola bars. I figured I need it to stick together and be a little chewy.
I’m just starting to experiment and the first thing I tried was to include 2, mashed up, ripe bananas in the granola mix.
It was a good start. There was a lot more clumping. The next experiment is to ad more dried fruit, like dates. So, maybe, some combination of bananas and dates might work.
[ By the way, I don’t heat my granola to a high temperature, which keeps it healthy]
These are good granola bars
http://minimalistbaker.com/healthy-5-ingredient-granola-bars/
This looks wonderful. I think I will make some this weekend just for us!
Do you have a great muesli recipe to share?
This is such a Great idea! Thanks. I really appreciate all your information and research. The one about tea got me thinking about my coffee. Which I love! I have a Keurig and buy organic coffee but now I wonder about the small containers they come in. Are they safe or leaking chemicals into my coffee? Does anyone know?
@ jerri- you can Google “BPA-free K cups” and find little keurig sized empty containers that you can fill with your organic coffee or tea. This could possibly be a safer alternative to the cheap plastic K-cups.
https://www.google.com/search?q=bpa+free+k+cups&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari#hl=en&q=bpa+free+k+cups&tbm=shop
That is exactly what I use Amelia! I fill them with Larry’s organic coffee which Food Babe loves.
One tip for those who like big, crunchy clumps in their granola: add a few tablespoons of applesauce to the mix, it makes it a little wetter, and causes the granola to clump together more for crunchy bliss!
Great idea!
I’ve also found that allowing the granola to cool in the pan before digging into it or mixing it, will help it to clump up better.
Hi Vani! I live this and made one similar this weekend! Mine stuck to parchment paper 🙁 (mine also had honey).
Could I replace the dried cranberries with dried cherries?
Of course!
Where do you get GMO free Oats? Thanks.
Buy organic and you should be good!
All oats are GMO free. There is no such thing as GMO oats.
Bob’s Red Mill produces gluten free oats, available in many markets.
The fun thing about granola is that you can add anything suitable that you want or have on hand, keeping proportions in mind.
Such a great gift idea! Pinned!
YUM! Thanks:)
What a great idea for gifts! Thank you for all your hard work for all of us 🙂
That probably smelt PHENOMENAL when you baked it! I would love to have that smell wafting through my house at all hours of the day 🙂
Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes; can’t wait to try them!
Vani,
you had me at HELLO,
but just need to let you know ( in case you ever wonder)
that you are kicking it in the ass!!!
you are super cool and amazing!!! so creative and fun to follow, thank you for being amazing!!!! loving it all.
This recipe sounds wonderful. I would like to give it as gifts but does it really only keep for 2 weeks?
BPA free is just as dangerous. Avoid food in ALL PLASTICS.
http://whowhatwhy.com/2013/07/24/tvwhy-why-there-is-plastic-in-your-food-and-your-body/
Vani – I have to tell you my favorite thing about watching the family christmas card video that’s gone viral was finding they’ve done your videos too! I’ve seen them all but now my husband, 6-yr-old, and 3-yr-old wanted to see their other work including your videos. So glad to see the connection! Can’t wait to see what you all do together next!
LOVE THIS IDEA! As usual. Thanks for all your amazing work. Congratulations on such a productive wonderful year and thank you for helping me on regular basis with your posts. YOU’RE AWESOME!
Thanks Heather! Vani couldn’t do it without awesome fans like you!
WOW! The holiday granola looks absolutely festive and delicious, I envy your friends on the receiving end of these thoughtful gifts. Can we be friends????? 😀
Never thought about making my own granola. This looks so easy and good. I’ll have to try it. Thanks!
Wondering if I could add buckwheat-groats maybe? I have a TON l I would love to figure out how to use! This looks delish! Thanks!!
This should have been soaked first as per
Living With Phytic Acid (http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/living-with-phytic-acid).
Fermenting grains makes a huge difference in nutrition!
I agree. I don’t eat oats often anymore for this reason. Oh how I miss granola so!
Do you typically tell people that they can just eat it plain? Or can you pour almond milk over it?
Hey Vani! I’ve been looking everywhere for what you said you would order when you go to Chipotle, a burrito bowl I think, but I don’t remember all the ingredients you had in there or had taken out. I think you posted it not too long ago but I am going there tomorrow so your help would be greatly appreciated!
Here is the article:
https://foodbabe.com/2013/03/24/a-food-babe-investigates-win-chipotle-posts-ingredients/
And here is what she would order:
This is what my order would look like if I went there… A salad with:
Organic black beans
Romaine lettuce
Fresh tomato salsa (and maybe try the others without the corn)
A huge serving of guacamole
Possibly sour cream or cheese if I were feeling fancy
If you are a meat eater – you could add pork carnitas to that list – since they do not use any GMO oil during the cooking preparation
Okay thank you so much!
Can I use steel cut oats instead of rolled? I usually used rolled, but have been Loving Bob’s Red Mill organic whole grain quick cooking steel cut oats lately.
Yes, of course – but the granola will likely be a little more dense.
Great. I’ll give a try since that’s what I have on hand today. Thanks Food Babe!!!
What can I substitute for the maple syrup?
Honey or Coconut Nectar
I’ve got this in the oven right now (making some for my college girl to take back with her after Christmas). I subbed chai spices for the pumpkin pie spices.
Thanks again for your passion to know the truth about what we are eating and of course to share your findings with others. I will launching a campaign to help educate hopefully millions in the USA and Internationally about healthy eating and warning people what not to eat. The reason why I am targeting cancer patients, diabetics, heart patients and people that are overweight is because it is hard for people to change their habits. I would like to propose a solution to their problem by changing what they eat and drink on a daily basis. We do not want to say heal or cure so we do not get the FDA after us. Can we be partners and can I interview a few times like you interviewed Dr. Mercola? I am building a National network of holistic doctors and researchers like you and also celebrities like Suzanne Sommers to give testimonies of the natural way to get healthy, for the public to choose on how they want to get healthy. The natural or the less successful drugs that Spaun side effects. Can we talk after the holidays? Can you travel to Minnesota by chance In Jan or Feb? Merry Christmas my partner in health!
Are those glass containers? If so, where from?
It is SO delicious! Just finished making it and I am really excited to give them out to people. Such a nice change from cookies! Thanks Food Babe!
Thank you for this recipe. It turned out great, and is so flexible you can adjust it easily to what you have in the pantry. I used to make Party mix every year, and I just found out I am allergic to wheat. I am making this recipe to share for the holidays.
Great tasting recipe.
What is the nutrition information count on it?
thanks so much.
I made this and it is SO delicious. I couldn’t believe how easy it was. Best granola I’ve ever had. Thanks!
🙂
Great recipe! I’ve been making my own granola, tried this recipe and my husband said this version is the best yet. (I did leave out the dried fruit, only because we don’t care for it.) I used pecans and almonds.
Awesome! It’s always a plus when the husband approves 🙂
I gave jars of granola to my coworkers (nurses and doctors mostly) with the recipe. They liked it…It is great to share good food with others. I liked it, they liked it! Keep up your good work. Keep up the inspiration. Life is good..
I’ve been making homemade granola since I had nerve damage and RA just awful. I don’t eat any meat or fish so granola is a great protein substitute, plus you can sprinkle it on just about everything and hubby enjoys it too! It’s great on double protein Greek yogurt.
I made this for many of my family members and friends over the holidays. they all love it and have asked me to make again repeatedly. after making it three times in two weeks and i have sent everyone to your website. Thanks Vani!
I just made the granola – so easy and so wonderful. Good-bye to store bought cereal. Thank you, Food Babe. I love your recipes.
You should soak your grains and nuts to release the nutrients and rid the antinutrients too! The Weston A Price Foundation explains this process as well as the book Nourishing Traditions http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00276HAWG/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=Q8020SR6TIVI&coliid=I2ZA5W7U7C90B3
truth Julia!
I am happy you got Subways attention and now why not mention the use of there rubber pans they use to bake the bread in…oooh what’s that strange smell…the bread is leaching the chemical’s out of the rubber
Vani, you are my HERO in all you do for us. I love you! Anyway, this question is a little off-topic, BUT … how in the world did you get the glue from the labels off of those bottles??? I want to use my used glass Kombuchi bottles to store and share similar things (nuts, dried fruit, granola, etc.), but I am struggling to the point that I’m not sure it’s worth the effort. Anybody have solution? Thanks!
You could try goo gone to get the label mess off. Also soaking them in hot soapy water then scrubbing them.