Almond-Cinnamon Granola

I’ve been on a big granola kicker lately. This post is about my latest variety that is pretty basic flavor profile, but it’s really awesome and easy to make.

This particular variety has been the most popular among my roommates. It’s not too sweet, maintains a crunchy aspect through milk and yogurt, and has a great cinnamon flavor.

I didn’t have sliced almonds when I was making this, but please feel free to use them instead of the hand sliced ones that I used. This will create a larger garnish and more texture than this picture depicts.

You can also substitute any nut (for almond) and any spice (for cinnamon) to create your own unique granola. I suggest the following: walnut-honey, coconut-coconut oil, chestnut-maple, pistachio-agave, macadamia-orange blossom honey, and cashew-raw honey.

I’ve also found myself adding more nuts, dried fruit, coffee beans, and chocolate to the mx to make a grab-and-go trail mix.

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 2-3 hours

Ingredients:

2 cups oats

½ cup quinoa

3 Tablespoons flax seed

3 Tablespoons hemp seeds

1 cup sliced almonds

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2/3 cup maple, honey, or agave

2 Tablespoons **apple butter**

2 Tablespoons vanilla extract

½ cup butter

1 Tablespoon Himalayan or sea salt

Directions:

1. Combine: oats, quinoa, flax seed, hemp seed, and almonds in bowl.
2. Preheat oven to 225°F
3. Combine: cinnamon, sweetener, apple butter, vanilla, butter, and seasalt in a sauce pan. Heat until butter is melted
4. Pour warm mixture over dry mixture. Mix until incorporated.
5. Transfer to a sheet/cookie tray lined with foil.
6. Place in oven for 2-3 hours, until tips of some items become slightly brown.
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
8. Store in an airtight container in a dry space for up to three months.