#SusanCooksVegan: How to Make Heart Healthy Granola

This recipe for a Heart Healthy Granola is a go-to in our household, and I am sure it will be in your house. I enjoy it because it makes for a healthy breakfast or snack; it only takes 30-minutes to make and only uses one bowl.

Better Than Store-Bought

Granola can be created in countless ways, and trust me when I say this, once you begin to make it yourself at home, you will not buy it at the grocery stores. In this recipe, we will combine oats, flax, nuts, seeds, dried coconut, and cranberries for tartness.

This Hearty Healthy Granola Is Easily Adaptable and Can Be Gluten-Free

If you have specific nut allergies or will be modifying your recipe to be gluten-free, you will want to choose gluten-free oats and nuts and seeds that work with your diet. Swap out the exact measurements, and you are good to go.

Add all of your dried ingredients except the coconut and cranberries to one bowl. We leave these to the end so that they will not burn in the oven. Once you have combined your desired ingredients, you will add in your mixture of oil, maple syrup, and vanilla until your oats are fully coated.

Lay your entire mixture onto a baking sheet and place it in the oven for 22-25 minutes until it is lightly golden brown. Stir it halfway through, and then remove it from the oven to sprinkle with coconut and cranberries.

Heart Healthy Granola

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes
Yields 8 cups

Ingredients

For Heart Healthy Granola

4 cups old fashioned oats
½ cup walnuts (whole or chopped)
½ cup pumpkin seeds
½ cup almonds (sliced, slivered, chopped or whole)
3 tbsp ground flax
½ cup melted coconut oil
½ cup maple syrup
¾ cup dried cranberries
½ cup coconut flakes
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions / Heart Healthy Granola

Preheat the oven to 350F, ensuring the oven rack is in the middle position. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, almonds, ground flax, salt and cinnamon. Stir until blended. Note: Leave the coconut and cranberries until the end of baking, or they will burn.
Pour in the melted oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Mix well until oats and nuts are lightly coated. Pour the mixture onto the lined baking tray. Using a spatula or large spoon, spread granola into an even layer. Granola should be in a thick layer, and the pan should be crowded. This will allow oats to clump together.
Bake for 22-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Stir and press down with a spoon or spatula to create clumpy granola halfway through cooking.
Remove from heat and sprinkle cranberries and coconut on top. Let cool completely undisturbed (45 minutes). Granola will crisp up and clump as it cools.
Break the granola into pieces with your hands if you want to retain the clumps or stir with a spoon if you prefer it loose.

Store granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks or in a sealed freezer bag for up to 4 months. Let warm to room temp before using.

Author Profile

Susan Pratt, SusanCooksVegan

Susan Pratt is an entrepreneur, vegan chef, food photographer and author who enjoys life with her family in beautiful North Vancouver. Susan shares her love of cooking vegan for her family through her SusanCooksVegan brand that eating healthy doesn't need to be daunting or inaccessible. Susan creates approachable, delicious and visually appealing plant-based dishes and shares recipes and video demos on her website. Watch for the exciting upcoming launch of The Susan Cooks Vegan Cooking Show series on UnchainedTV: Vegan News Network.