Super Nutty Granola
Thursday, February 14th, 2008
February is Heart Health Month, so do something nice for your loves this month and make them some super nutty granola (Happy Valentines Birthday Poo-Pooh!)! The oats, quinoa, seeds, nuts and fruits are full of fiber to help reduce cholesterol; and fruit (and vegetables) contain antioxidants and phytochemicals that help prevent heart disease. Adding just 1 serving of fruits or vegetables (1/2 Cup) a day can reduce your risk of coronary heart disease by 4%!
In addition to being healthy, the coconut and citrus make the granola smell so great while baking that you will want to eat it even before its ready. Coconut oil is available at your local grocery store in the natural foods section, near the olive oil. It is saturated fat, so it is solid at room temperature. However, it has a different structure than animal saturated fats, and so reacts differently in the body. Coconut oil is preferentially used for energy, while animal fat tends to get stored in our bodies as adipose and contribute to high cholesterol and fatty plaques (atherosclerosis) - cool!
This recipe is adapted from a recipe in Heidi Swanson’s book Super Natural Cooking. She has a great foodblog that focuses on whole natural foods with great recipes, check it out: 101cookbooks.com
Super Nutty Granola - Makes about 8 Cups
3 Cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 Cup quinoa, rinsed and drained (or use another 1/2 cup of rolled oats)
1/2 Cup raw sunflower seeds
1 Cup raw walnut halves
1 Cup raw almonds
1 Cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 Organic orange (washed)
1 Organic grapefruit (washed) (Or use another orange)
1/4 Cup virgin coconut oil
1/2 Cup honey
1 Cup dried fruit (I like goji berries and chopped candied ginger - also try dried peaches and cherries)
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the oats, quinoa, sunflower seeds, nuts and coconut. Zest the orange and grapefruit into the bowl using a microplane or smallest holes on your grater and mix well. Try to avoid getting the white stuff just below the bright orange/yellow zest - it is bitter. (To avoid seasoning your food with waxes and pesticides, always choose organic fruit for zesting.)
Heat the coconut oil and honey over medium-low heat. Set a small strainer over the pan and squeeze in the juice from the orange and grapefruit. Compost any seeds or pulp collected in the strainer along with the citrus peels. Once the coconut oil has melted, stir well to blend everything together. Pour over the oat & nut mixture and stir until evenly coated.
Spread the granola evenly over 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Bake for 40 minutes on two center racks, stirring the granola and rotating the pans (top to bottom) every 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour into a large mixing bowl. Add the dried fruit of your choice and stir to combine. Let the granola cool completely before storing in a sealed container.