I recommend preparing as much as you can on the weekend for the week ahead. Just makes it a whole lot easier to eat healthy during the week!

I made this granola recipe on a weekend and enjoyed it during the entire week. And I was able to get other things done while the granola was in the oven!

Home Comfort Granola adapted from the Flavors of Health Cookbook

Ingredients:

2 cups quick-cooking oat flakes (If you have a gluten sensitivity, consider Bob’s Red Mill gluten free quick cooking oats)
½ cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds
½ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup flaked coconut
½ cup coconut oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 TB pure vanilla extract
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp sea salt

Topping:

1 cup raw wheat germ (also can use gluten free oat bran or ground flax if adhering to a gluten free diet)
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup dried cherries or cranberries

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 275 F
2. Combine oats, seeds, nuts, coconut flakes, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, and salt in a heavy ovenproof pot or cast iron pan. Stir gently over low heat with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined.
3. Transfer mixture to two parchment-lined baking sheets, spreading out evenly. (I used one large baking sheet and that worked just fine!)
4. Bake for 50 minutes, stirring every so often.
5. In the last 15 minutes of baking, add the wheat germ and dried fruit.
6. Serve with unsweetened nut, rice or coconut milk (I added a little bit of seasonal fruit and ½ scoop of protein powder as well). Store leftovers in an airtight container in a dark cupboard.

Cookbook Recommendation:

Flavors of Health by Ed Bauman, Ph.D. and Lizette Marx, N.C., is a beautifully illustrated cookbook featuring nutritious and delicious beverages, soups, spreads and dips, main entrees, and desserts. I love the Cooking “Pearls” included throughout the book; like how to poach an egg or how to remove pomegranate seeds from a pomegranate! Wish I had known this last pearl last fall when I made a big persimmon and pomegranate salad…took a long time to get out the seeds! Also scattered throughout the book are nutrition gems which give you the history and healing properties of selected foods! And Ed and Lizette are just good people!