Homemade granola to warm your soul

As we come to the bittersweet end of summer, the sun drifts away form the earth and we suddenly become these frigid human beings that just want to sit in bed, drink tea and eat pie, even though it's still +15 outside.
Any excuse to wear Ugg boots though, let's be honest.
So I've got a little bit of an addiction to granola. Anyone who knows me well enough knows that I go hard over that sweet, nutty gob of goodness that does everything from make me feel better when I'm being an overly emotional girl to giving me fuel after leg day, or enough fuel to allow me to run 10k and still manage to smile.
It's the cheese to my macaroni.
It's love.
Leaving class today I had a hankering for granola and almond milk from Glow Juicery here in Kelowna, but decided it would be best for me to utilize my own ingredients at home even though they have the BEST almond milk in the universe.
Using the brain cells I have been so blessed to be given, I opened my cupboard and pulled out my favourite baking ingredients and came up with some combination that somehow turned into heaven.
 

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What you see above are some of my favourite ingredients to use when I'm making my own homemade treats. Creating items that provide on-the-go individuals with fuel that lasts is something I always keep in mind when I choose my ingredients for times like this. This granola that I made is gluten-free and vegan and contains coconut sugar and nectar instead of yucky table sugar. Above we have raw cacao nibs, gluten-free oats, almonds, raw cashews, goji berries and shredded coconut. I like incorporating raw ingredients into my food because it is at its most vulnerable state and filled with nutrients. So with all of that said, let's get to it!

Toasted Coco-Nana Granola

What you will need:

• 3 cups of gluten-free oats
• 1/2 cup almonds (roughly chopped)
• 1/2 cup raw cashews (roughly chopped)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup goji berries
• 1/4 cup raw cacao nibs
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup coconut nectar
• 1 ripe banana, mashed

What you need to do:

• Preheat your oven to 350 F
• In a large bowl, combine your dry ingredients (oats, nuts, sea salt, cinnamon, coconut sugar, coconut, goji berries, cacao) and set aside
• In a medium saucepan over low-medium heat, melt your coconut oil and coconut nectar together until they become a liquid (they will not combine together). Once melted, add your mashed banana and mix until combined. Pour over your dry mix and toss well.
• Spread evenly over a baking sheet (does not need to be greased/oiled) and bake in the oven for 22-26 minutes, paying close attention to the oats as they will brown quickly. Just so the mixture does not burn. Pull out of the oven and let it cool completely before you package it into jars.
• Mix should keep for about two weeks, so enjoy it over yogurt, almond milk, over rice cakes with almond butter, or on its own. 

What are your favourite flavours of granola? Already thinking of my next batch!

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