Recipes by Sarah Gardner: Granola

Granola

 This nutrient and good-stuff-packed granola is great to have for breakfast or as a snack any time of day. I like to eat mine for breakfast with some plain Greek yogurt and honey, or as with almond milk in place of cereal.This recipe is extremely versatile as almost anything can be swapped out. The nuts, seeds, and dried fruits are what I just happened to pick up when creating my granola but you can change out any of them for something else, leave it out completely or change quantities. Other than the oats and bonding agents (oil, honey, and egg) this recipe is completely open to your own interpretation. Even the oil you use can be changed. Sometimes I use olive oil, sometimes I use coconut; any oil works! The possibilities are endless! Make sure that any unused wheat germ is stored in the refrigerator as it will quickly go rancid if left at room temperature.

Ingredients:

3 Cups Rolled Oats (not quick cook) 1 Cup Shredded Coconut (sweetened or unsweetened) ¼ Cup Chopped Cashews ¼ Cup Chopped Pistachios 2 tbsp Sunflower Seeds 1 tbsp Chia Seeds ½ tbsp Wheat Germ ½ tbsp Ground Flax Seed ¼ Cup Greek Yogurt Baking Chips ¼ Cup Dried Strawberries (finely chopped) ¼ Cup Dried Gogi Berries ¼ Cup Dried Kiwi (chopped) 1 Egg (slightly beaten with a fork) ½ Cup of Your Favourite Oil ½ Cup Honey 2 tsp Cinnamon

Directions

1. Mix oats, coconut, cashews, pistachios, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, wheat germ, and flax seed in a large boil.
2. Combine egg, oil, cinnamon, and honey and pour over oat mixture.
3. Stir so that the oil mixture coats everything evenly and then spread out in an even layer on a baking pan.
4. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until granola is golden brown and appears dry. Make sure you stir the granola every 7 – 10 minutes so that it cooks evenly and nothing burns.
5. Once the granola is done, remove it from the oven and let cool. Once it is cooled you can add your dried fruit and baking chips (don’t put the dried fruit in the oven, it will burn!!).

Store in an airtight container.

---

A Few Nutritional Notes:

---

Chia Seeds:

• Packed with fibre and therefore good for your digestive health.
• Full of omega-3s, calcium, manganese (good for your bones), phosphorus (for your bones and teeth), lots of protein, and antioxidants.
• Keeps blood sugar balanced and therefore you energy levels strong and steady.

Wheat Germ:

• Meant to nourish new plants as they are growing (it’s actually the embryo of the plant) so it’s full of nutrients.
• Full of b-vitamins which are important for brain chemistry and cardiovascular health.
• Lots of fibre and phystosterols which are good for your blood sugar levels and digestive health.
• Vitamin E which is good for your body’s cells, your brain, and preventing plaque build up in arteries.
• Lots of omega-3s and minerals your body needs to run properly.

Flax Seed:

• Ground flax seed is much easier for your body to digest than the whole seed which can pass through your digestive system in tact which means you won’t reap any of the benefits from the seed.
• Lots of omega-3s – the “good” fats that are good for your heart.
• Tons of antioxidants.
• Lots of fibre.
• The omega-3s and antioxidants have been linked to protecting against breast, prostate, and colon cancer.