Let’s get back to basics.

With all of the talk and media buzz about the latest and greatest superfoods, sometimes we lose sight of how amazing some of the most basic and familiar foods are.

That’s why today is all about OATS!

oats

Whether you know them by oatmeal raisin cookies, a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast or as a common ingredient in granola, there’s a pretty good chance that you’ve eaten oats before. The oats I recommend buying are whole rolled oats (rather than the packets or “quick oats.”). If I want a chewier texture, I’ll change it up and use steel cut oats.

Oats are PACKED with some pretty awesome body and brain-boosting benefits:

  • With more soluble fiber than any other grain, oats help us stabilize our blood sugar, energy and mood AND help slow digestion and increase feelings of fullness
  • The contain compounds that help lower our cholesterol, which is why they are commonly recommended as a heart healthy food.
  • Second only to quinoa in protein content, oats contain a variety of amino acids, which serve as the building blocks to everything from our skin, hair and nails to our enzymes, hormones and neurotransmitters
  • Oats are rich in anti–inflammatory and antioxidant–rich compounds that protect our body and our brain

Oats are the star of today’s video that shows you how easy it is to make your own granola using everyday ingredients. It takes less than 5 minutes to assemble and only about 30 minutes to cook. Once you see how simple it is to do yourself, you won’t want the store-bought stuff!

Check out these other posts about two more granola recipes I’ve shared before:

granola closeup

Easy Trail Mix Granola

Ingredients

  • 4 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup raw walnuts, chopped
  • 1 cup raw sunflower seeds
  • 1 cup shaved coconut
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup honey or 100% pure maple syrup (or a combo of both!)
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1 cup dried cranberries, raisins or goji berries

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 300F.
  2. Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add cinnamon and sea salt and stir to combine. Add honey, coconut oil and vanilla and combine with a large spoon or your hands until all of the pieces are coated and begin to stick together.
  3. Press granola onto a lined baking sheet and cook in the oven for 30-35 minutes, removing the pan to turn the granola with a spatula every 10-12 minutes. For more clumps, firmly press granola onto sheet with the back of your spatula or spoon after you toss it for the first time and don’t toss it again.
  4. When granola begins to smell fragrant and is starting to turn golden, remove it from the oven to cool. Once cool, add dried fruit and toss to combine. Store in a glass jar in the fridge.

If you want granola that clumps together more, substitute 2-4 tablespoons of whisked egg whites in place of some of the oil. 

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