Maple Almond Coconut Granola

I made this recipe for breakfast at the WHOLE WOMAN retreat that I worked at in March in Laguna Beach, California. It was a big hit.

Making this granola is one of my pantry staples. I do it about once a month and everyone really looks forward to breakfast. It's always going to be superior to make your own than it is to buy a packaged one in the store. The financial analysis is about the same, but the taste and the freshness are unbeatable. Plus, it makes your house smell really incredible for hours. There is room for many delicious substitutions here and I encourage you to experiment! This recipe incorporates healthy nut and seed oils, tons of fiber and plant - based protein and is even more delicious with dried or fresh fruit and a good greek yogurt, kefir or almond milk.

INGREDIENTS
4 1|2 cups old fashioned oats, not the instant variety
1 1|2 cups slivered or chopped raw almonds (almond meal is also a suitable substitute if needed)
3|4 cup walnuts or sunflower seeds or cashews etc...
1|4 flax seed and|or chia seed
1 cup shredded coconut
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 1|4 cup maple syrup
1|3 c softened coconut oil or non - gmo canola in a pinch
1|4 teaspoon sea salt
a handful of dried raisins, cranberries, apricots, mango etc... are great to throw in at the end of cooking

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 325. Put the oats, nuts, seeds, coconut, cinnamon and salt into a bowl and stir. Add the syrup and the oil and combine everything until evenly wet. Spread out onto a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the pan and stir, bringing the sides into the middle as they cook quicker. Return it to the oven and bake another 15 minutes. Remove it and stir one more time. Cook another 5 - 10 minutes, watching it carefully at this point as it can burn easily towards the end. When it's finished, allow it to cool completely on the sheet pan until you are ready to store it. At this step, you can mix in dried fruit or cacao nibs if you want. I use large canning jars for easy pantry storage. It keeps for a month or more. It stays really fresh and crunchy. But, it doesn't last more than a week around here.

ENJOY!

Accessorize Your Food

You can take a simple breakfast and more than double it's nutritional value by adding the right accessories. Let's face it - who doesn't like beautiful food? The art of dressing a plate is something that is often overlooked and underrated. I think that when we take the time (a few extra minutes at most) to create something that is healthy and beautiful to look at, it not only gives us pride in what we are feeding ourselves and our families, but it forces us to be CONSCIOUS about it. It allows us to develop a true relationship, complete with dialogue, with the most important ritual of the day. For example, not everyone has the time or the right ingredients to make something entirely from scratch for every meal. So when you are shopping for your convenient foods, it is important to choose products that are still quick but don't tank on nutrition. You can stock your dry and refrigerated pantries with super food accessories that can ramp up the nutrition by more than half when you add them to your dish. I always keep things like bee pollen, chia seed, flax seed, walnuts, almonds, coconut, nutritional yeast and green powders on hand for exactly this reason. In fact, when you use the right combinations with fresh fruit or vegetables, the accessories themselves can have more nutrition than the base for your meal. 

This was a frozen, organic buckwheat waffle. I added plain greek yogurt for my dressing and topped it with strawberries, walnuts, chia seed, bee pollen, shaved coconut, flax seed and tangelo slices. It was incredible!

• CHIA seed is an energizer that has been used since the American Indians were on desert marches and runs. They would sustain long days with it. You can achieve stamina by roasting and grinding a handful before you exercise or do physical activity. Second to flax seed, it is highest in Omega 3 fatty acids.
• FLAX seed is a decongestant, demulcent, emollient, expectorant, laxative and purgative. It works directly on the digestive tract. They are also energizers. They can relieve asthma, chronic cough, enrich the blood and strengthen nerves. It contains all 8 essential amino acids.
• WALNUTS strengthen the kidneys and lungs and lubricate the large intestine. Astringent and antiseptic, they can address athlete's foot, ringworm and impetigo. They regulate blood sugar and improve metabolism.
• COCONUT contains organic iodine that assists with thyroid function and soothes internal membranes. The water contains the highest, naturally occurring amount of electrolytes known. It is identical to human plasma, making up 55 percent of our blood.
• YOGURT is a known pro-biotic and contains millions of beneficial living bacteria that assist our digestive tracts. It is high in protein and organisms that keep our gut happy. The plain variety treats candida overgrowth and is low in sugar, which is optimal.
• BERRIES are the powerhouses of the fruit family containing large quantities of vitamin C, retinols, and easily digestible fiber that requires little energy from the body as they are almost immediately assimilated. They are astringent and laxative. They clean the blood and the skin.
• BEE POLLEN is always best when consumed locally. It aligns the immune system with the local pollen and allergens and helps create a resistance to foreign particles. It is incredibly antibiotic, anabolic, antifatigue, anti-infective, diuretic, nervine, stimulates immune response and is certainly one of the most essential items you should have in your pantry.