Healthy Apple Cinnamon Granola

The perfect topping for yogurt bowls

Store bought granolas have sooo much added sugar - even the "healthy" brands. Not to mention they can be rather pricey and if I'm going to spend that kind of money on food, I want it to really be good for me... not just thrown in a brown bag with a GF label on it.

Ok, sorry for the rant! Let's make a batch of healthy, homemade granola.

Key Notes:

• I soak, dehydrate, and gently roast all my nuts. I think of it like this: I want raw nuts because I want to avoid over processed foods. But I want to soak & dehydrate them from my kitchen to aid in digestion. (The gentle roasting is optional, but I love the extra crunch!). For almonds, soak them in purified water overnight- for every cup of nuts, add I tsp of salt and be sure to cover the nuts with water about 2" higher than the nuts. I just set them on the stove in a pot and cover with a lid. The next morning, strain and dehydrate. If you don't have a dehydrator you can use an oven. The keep warm setting is ok for this.

  I recommend turning it on for 2 hours, then off for 2, on for 2 etc. until they are no longer wet or rubbery. They are done when you can take the nut between two fingers and easily snap it in half. To gently roast them, place almonds on a lined cookie sheet and roast on 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-30 minutes, checking every 7-8 minutes. They should just be starting to brown on the inside.

• As always, make sure to check the ingredient list on your maple syrup. True maple syrup can be hard to find. Azure Standard is a great option!

• I choose to dehydrate my own apples. No added ingredients. Just apples.

Apple cinnamon granola

Kitchen Supplies

• Large mixing bowl

• Measuring cups (1c, 1/2c, 1 tsp)

• Mixing spoon

• Small sauce pan or oven safe bowl

• Parchment paper

• Cookie sheet

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats

• 1 cup almonds (soaked, dehydrated, gently roasted-see notes above)

• 2 apples of choice

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 Tbsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp clove

• 2 Tbsp real maple syrup

• 1/2 cup butter (we make ours with raw cream!) or coconut oil

• 1/2 cup of raisins (optional)

Instructions

1. Prep your apples

   a) wash, peel, and dice your apples.

   b) dehydrate the apples at 140 degrees F. in a dehydrator for 8-12 hours. You can also use your oven, setting it at the lowest temperature and checking them every 1-2 hours. They are done when the apples are no longer bendy.

2. Add the oats, cinnamon, salt, and cloves to the mixing bowl. Give it a stir.

3. Melt the butter (or coconut oil) on the stove or in the oven. You only need to melt it. Avoid letting it bubble.

4. Pour the butter & maple syrup over the oat mix and stir until well combined.

5. Finally add the apples, raisins, and almonds to the bowl and gently toss it together. (I like to crunch the almonds in my hand before adding them.)

6. Place the parchment paper on the cookie sheet and pour the granola over the sheet. Press the granola evenly over the pan.

7. Bake for 7-10 minute increments until golden (roughly 25-30 minutes total). If you want the granola to stick together, stir the granola after 10 minutes and then firmly press the granola down. Continue baking without stirring and remove from the oven when golden. DO NOT STIR until completely cooled.

8. Store in an airtight container on the counter and enjoy! I like it best over a serving of cultured yogurt.

Enjoy :)

Have you made this recipe? Let me know your thoughts in the comments or tag me on instagram!

@rawmilkandwildhoney