Really Healthy Granola Recipe

• Cuisine: American
• Course: Snack
• Skill Level: Advanced

Nutritional Information (per serving)

• Calories: 403
• Fat: 22g
• Protein: 13g
• Sodium: 181mg
• Carbohydrates: 40g
• Fiber: 7g
• Sugar: 8g

Ingredients:

1. 4 cups rolled oats
   4 cups warm filtered water
   8 tbsp whey or lemon juice
   1/2 cup butter
   1/4 cup raw honey *
   1 tsp cinnamon
   1 tsp powdered green stevia **
   1 tsp sea salt
   1 cup dehydrated walnuts, roughly broken with hands ***
   1 cup dehydrated almonds, roughly chopped
   1/2 cup dehydrated sunflower seeds
   1/2 cup dehydrated pumpkin seeds
   1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
   1/2 cup dried currants ****
   
   

Directions:

1. Soaked Oat Instructions:
   1. Two days before - In a large bowl, combine rolled oats, warm water and whey or lemon juice. Stir gently to combine.
   2. Cover with a kitchen towel and set in a warm place for 24 - 36 hours.
   3. In a fine mesh strainer, rinse well. Gently spread soaked oats evenly onto a dehydrator tray lined with a mesh insert.
   4. Dehydrate at 150˚ for 12 hours, until thoroughly dried.
   5. Remove and cool.
   6. Once cool, granola may be made immediately, or oats may be stored in an airtight container for several days, ready & waiting for granola preparation.
   Granola Instructions:
   1. Preheat oven to 350˚.
   2. Locate a non-stick sheet pan or a regular sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
   3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
   4. Once nearly melted, add honey, cinnamon, stevia and sea salt.
   5. Whisk well to combine.
   6. While butter is melting, crumble oats onto the prepared sheet pan. No big chunks should remain.
   7. Add walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and coconut flakes.
   8. Once honey-butter mixture is prepared, evenly pour mixture overtop of oat-nut mixture.
   9. Using a spatula, stir until well combined; ensure every piece of dried oat gets a light coating of butter.
   10. Spread evenly before baking for 10 minutes.
   11. Remove and stir.
   12. Spread evenly and bake for 5 minutes.
   13. Remove and stir.
   14. Spread evenly and bake for 5 additional minutes, for a combined total of 20 baking minutes.
   15. Remove and immediately stir in currants until well combined.
   16. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
   17. Or transfer to the freezer for several months.
   * Regular store-bought honey has been pasteurized, which means it has been heated and strained to obtain a clear product that is easier to pour. Unfortunately, many of nature's beneficial enzymes get lost in the process. Raw honey still contains all of those valuable enzymes. If raw honey can't be found, regular honey may be substituted in equal measurements.  ** Grocery store powdered white stevia is a refined product. Nature's stevia is a green, leafy plant, and it's subsequent sweet powder should optimally be green, reflecting it's natural state. I purchase Frontier brand green stevia powder from my local healthfood store. I also find green stevia's flavor to be more appealing. Here's a link for on-line purchase. I do use stevia tinctures when the green hue of this natural sweetener affects the color of my recipe, but in recipes such as this granola, the color hides nicely. If green powdered stevia is not available or not desired, simply increase the amount of honey to 1/2 cup. *** Any combination and variety of nuts in approximately the same quantity will be delicious. **** My husband and I prefer a lightly sweetened granola with only a sprinkling of currants. If you prefer a sweeter variety, feel free to add any amount, variety & combination of dried fruit to suit your tastes. Simply be sure to follow the recipe's technique of adding the fruit after the granola is removed from the oven, which prevents the fruit from becoming over-cooked and hard.