The Recipe I Make Most Often
My favorite granola recipe: Tahini Maple Seed + Nut
My Favorite Granola: Tahini Maple Seed + Nut
What I like about granola: the nutty, chewy, very flavorful bites — either as a snack by itself, or with Greek yogurt for breakfast. I think of a good granola as being intensely flavored, so much so that a small amount in each bite is very satisfying, and a little truly does go a long way.
This is my very reliable, most favorite, go-to recipe for granola. I’m very picky about granola (it is often way too sweet1), so it’s almost as if market forces have driven me to make my own. I like crisp and crunch, and prefer a slight salty flavor to sweet. Inspired by this Bon Appétit recipe, I’ve subtracted and added ingredients to create a recipe that better suit my tastes. For example, I like oats in my granola so I started with adding rolled oats. I do not like coconut (this has been since childhood and has had remarkable staying power!), so I immediately omitted the coconut flakes. I also like seeds in granola and perhaps got a little greedy adding pepitas, sunflower AND chia seeds. I love the taste and texture they lend, but also the nutrition diversity they each contribute. (See nutrition notes below.) The maple syrup, olive oil and tahini combination creates a delicate binder that lends a slight crispness to the granola with just a hint of sweetness. The faint tahini flavor in the background is perfection.
Like most granola recipes, this is endlessly flexible. You can omit and add things to your own tastes. It’s also a great recipe for using up those ingredient odds and ends you have in the pantry.
Also did I mention? This couldn’t be easier to make.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup unroasted/unsalted walnuts
1 cup unroasted/unsalted almonds
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup pepitas
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup dried bing cherries, unsweetened, chopped
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup tahini
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
DIRECTIONS
Whisk together maple syrup, tahini, olive oil, salt and cinnamon. Toss in all other ingredients and stir until combined.
Preheat over to 300°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour granola mixture onto prepared sheet, spreading it out to an even layer. Bake for 30 minutes.
Let cool on baking sheet. When completely cool, break into pieces and store in an airtight container.
Nutrition notes for one serving (~ 1/3 cup) | Good source of healthy fats, protein, fiber; chia seeds contribute omega-three fatty acids and fiber, pepitas contribute magnesium; low in sodium and sugar
Granola (along with granola bars) exists in that space where it can either be a healthy choice, or basically dessert if it has too many added sugars, and also not enough other redeeming ingredients that give fiber and protein. So it can be tricky to shop for and often is deceptively marketed as healthy, when it is not. If purchasing, look for healthy fats, a good source of protein and try to keep added sugars to 5g or less.