Homemade Healthy Granola

I hate spending a lot of money for dry and boring granola at the grocery store. I tried endlessly to make it at home — and after testing a number of recipe over a year this seems to be the winner! I hope you enjoy, the secret is in the egg white & rice krispies. This granola also makes great gifts for the holidays!

Yields - 3 cups of finished granola

Ingredients –ISH! Emphasizing the fact that this can be by look and preference

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats

• 1 cup of rice krispies OR crisp rice (if ur a Trader Joe’s fan)

• 1½-2 cups chopped un-toasted nuts (such as almonds, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, cashew, hazelnuts and sunflower seeds)

• ¼ cup sesame seeds

• ¼ cup chia seeds - optional and not necessary

• 1 cups unsweetened coconut shavings (try to find un-toasted)

• ½ cup agave syrup

• ¼ cup warmed coconut oil

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten

• 2 tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar or coconut sugar -- optional, adds sweetness

• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon or pie spice (Penzy’s cake spice is my personal favorite)

• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom - optional and not necessary if you don’t have it!

• 1 cup dried fruits like dried cherries, cranberries, raisins or blueberries (**make sure to save these until AFTER baking)

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 300°.

Combine all the dry ingredients, oats, rice krispies, chopped nuts, chia seeds and sesame seeds. When adding the nuts make sure they are cut down in size, mix it up with type! My personal favorite is sunflower seeds, almonds, pecans & hazelnuts!

Warm the coconut oil for 30-40 seconds in the microwave and let cool a bit. Once cooled add in the vanilla extract to the coconut oil before pouring into the dry ingredients. Mix agave syrup and finish by adding egg whites, making sure to mix the egg-white in evenly. Finish by adding brown sugar, salt, cardamom and cinnamon and give the mix a final toss. Pour the ingredients between 2 large rimmed baking sheet covered in parchment paper.

Bake granola, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown and dry, 30- 35 minutes. To get an even toast I often rotate the trays from top to bottom between stirring every 10 min. Let cool on baking sheet for 15 min (it will crisp as it cools). Pour into a bowl and mix in your dried fruit.

Do Ahead: Store airtight at room temperature, lasts 4 weeks but good luck letting it stay on the counter that long!