Simple Nut & Seed Granola for Nutty Granola Addicts (Like Me...)

Who doesn't love a bowl of crunchy granola, creamy yogurt and fresh berries? I could eat one any time of day. Like actually. 

This granola is for the simple-hearted (or at least, when you're craving a classic granola!). There are no funky flavors, no trendy twists, no superfood surprises. Instead, this boasts pure, unadulterated nuttiness enhanced by cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and maple. Almond butter and coconut oil are mild, yet flavorful wet ingredients that allow for the *oomph* crunch factor that this granola has. 

This recipe is super customisable to your nut & seed preferences, but I wouldn't go so far as to add dried fruit or too many other flavorings, as although it may (okay, probably will) still be delicious, it will lose its charm as a simple, classic granola. The best part about the simplicity means you can get totally creative with what you pair this granola with. 

Here's how I like to build my 'nola bowls:

Base
I love the thick creamy texture of yogurt and most often use greek yogurt (Fage is my go-to brand - full fat all the way!). Next best are Skyr or coconut yogurt. Any dairy or non-dairy milk works too but I would pour these on at the end rather than use them as the "base"!

Granola
I tend to pile on the granola next. And loooaaaads of it. Because go hard or go home, eh?

Fruit
No 'nola bowl is complete without fruit. 90% of the time I use fresh fruit, but if I don't have any on hand or if absolutely nothing good is in season, I use homemade peach or berry compote. If fresh fruit, I use some combination of the following - berries, peaches/nectarines, apricots and/or bananas.

The "extras"
These really just take your bowl to the next level. Toppings I frequently use include chia seeds, cacao nibs, nut butter (holla to the nut buttah), shredded coconut, Brazil nuts and blanched & toasted almonds.
Feel free to get even more extravagant, but this is all I got for you.

And don't forget to think further than granola bowls - this can be used as an ice cream topping, a super quick deconstructed crumble topping and of course, for straight-up snacking!

It's super simple, super quick and insanely addictive. But granola addictions are allowed, right?
Go. Go now. Go make it.

Ingredients

2 cups of whole rolled oats

1 1/3 cups of mixed raw nuts, chopped coarsely (I used a mix of cashews, pecans, walnuts and pistachios)

2 tbsp sunflower seeds

2 tbsp pumpkin seeds

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

pinch of salt

3 tbsp white almond butter

4 tbsp coconut oil, melted

4-5 tbsp pure maple syrup 

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Low(er) and slow(er) is the way forward here! 

Place the oats on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, roughly chop the buys. Very roughly! Big and chunky is key.

In a small saucepan, melt together the almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla. Let cool.

Once the oats have slightly toasted, remove them from the oven and let them sit for 5 minutes. Then pour them into a large mixing bowl and stir in the nuts, seeds, spices and salt. Finally, mix in the wet ingredients until the oats and nuts are all coated. 

Pour the mixture back on the sheet lined with parchment, spread it apart and bake for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice in between at regular intervals. Do keep a close eye past 15 minutes as this can go from golden brown to burnt in a matter of seconds. If the mixture hasn't browned enough, let it stay in a bit longer than 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven. It may be soft at this point, but it will become crunchy as it cools! Let it cool on the baking sheet until completely cool then pour into an airtight container and store in a cool place (not fridge!!!) for up to a month. But it's never going to last that long anyways. Hehe.

Enjoy!