Homemade Cinnamon-Nut Granola

It's Spring! Here is a healthy, refreshing snack to welcome this amazing weather we've been having! (and I'm just a little excited about it;-)
Most store-bought granola is super high in sugar, sometimes fat, and calories.  The beauty of making it yourself-you can control all of these factors and create a healthier, much much cheaper, and tastier granola of your own!
This Cinnamon Nut Granola is one of the best recipes I have found after attempting to find the perfect granola recipe for years.  It is low in fat & sugar and high in flavor and crunch-Yum!!! 

The granola takes about 15 minutes total from prep to the end of baking...Add it to some fruit and yogurt and create your own parfait! Little ones love to create their own.  The parfaits are  something kids can help prepare as a healthy snack or breakfast treat. We made these at Cooking Matters with the family classes and the kids LOVED to help cut the fruit, stir the granola, and create their own parfaits! Talking about the fruit and each component with your kids while they create their parfait is a great way to introduce healthy, new foods...Letting them help will encourage participation in trying new offerings as well!

Homemade Granola

 INGREDIENTS

2 T honey

1 T canola oil

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 pinch sea salt

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (GF certified oats for gluten free)

2 T sliced or chopped almonds (or nut of choice)

1/4 cup dried fruit of choice

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350
• Mix honey, canola oil, cinnamon and sea salt in a large bowl, using a whisk or fork.
• Add the oats and 2 T almonds, and stir until coated thoroughly with the honey mixture.
• Coat a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray, and spread oat mixture evenly onto the baking sheet.
• Bake for ~12 minutes until lightly browned, stirring every 5 minutes to cook granola evenly.  Remove from oven and cool completely, before placing in a bowl. 
• Stir dried fruit into cooled granola.

Notes:
 I add 1/4 cup dried millet to the oats before cooking.  Millet adds a great crunch to the granola and stretches the recipe a bit.

Granola can be stored in an airtight container for up to three weeks-I store in mason jars.

 

 

Yogurt Parfait

INGREDIENTS

Granola

Fresh or frozen fruit of choice

Fat-free plain or vanilla yogurt

(Soy yogurt or lactose free for lactose intolerance)

DIRECTIONS

Cut fruit into bite-size pieces
Layer 1/4 cup yogurt into each of six parfait cups or bowls, followed by 1/4 cup fruit, and 2 T granola.
Repeat layers one more time, ending with a layer of granola.
Top with optional sliced almonds if desired.

*Recipes adapted from CM cookbook. 
~Both recipes are gluten free~