Easy Blueberry Cherry Granola

This naturally sweetened, high-protein, antioxidant-rich granola recipe is super easy to make and can be enjoyed for breakfast or as a snack. It is a nutritious food to take with you when you travel too. It can be prepared 100% gluten-free if you purchase gluten-free oats and make sure that a few other ingredients listed below are gluten-free. Add your own flair with different seasonings, fruit and nuts. Just share what you come up with!raw, vegan, vegetarian

Makes: approx. 7 cups | Preparation Time: 30mins

Tools:
Silicone spatula or large spoon
Cookie sheet
Unbleached parchment paper
Large glass bowl
Glass jar with lid for storage

Ingredients:
3/4 cup raw, organic pumpkin seeds (ideally soaked and dehydrated for optimal assimilation)
1 cup raw, organic almonds, roughly chopped (ideally soaked and dehydrated for optimal assimilation)
1/3 cup organic golden flax seed, freshly ground
1 cup raw, organic shredded coconut
1 1/2 cup organic dried blueberries
1 cup organic dried cherries
2 cups raw, rolled oats (look for truly gluten-free if you have a sensitivity)
1 tbsp organic vanilla extract (look for alcohol-free, gluten-free vanilla extract if you have a sensitivity. Or use seeds from organic vanilla bean)
1 tsp pink Himalayan or Celtic sea salt
3/4 cup organic maple syrup (Grade B)

Note: you can add extra crunch to your granola by drying out soaked nuts and seeds in the oven before mixing together ingredients, or, you can skip soaking all together. For optimal assimilation, I recommend soaking.

Let’s Get Started:
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large glass bowl, mix all ingredients together except dried blueberries and dried cherries—these are added post baking.

Press mixture flat onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool. Crumble into a large bowl and toss with dried cherries and blueberries.

Eat some right away with fresh Vanilla Almond or Hemp Seed milk, or plain. Store the rest in an airtight glass container in your pantry.

plant-based

TIPS & SUBSTITUTIONS:
1. For extra flavor, try toasting your coconut, pumpkin seeds and almonds before mixing with other ingredients and baking.
2. Add fresh ground cardamom to the granola mix before baking. WOW.
3. If in season, take 1-1/2 cup fresh blueberry and/or cherry puree and mix into granola before baking.
4. Add cinnamon to the mix.
5. Swap out oats for protein-rich soaked and dehydrated organic buckwheat groats.
6. Add soaked and dehydrated walnuts and cashews for more crunch and protein.
7. Sprinkle with protein-packed hemp seeds, or add hemp protein powder before baking—just lower temp to 250°F and bake longer (until dry and browning) to maintain the healthy omegas.
8. Make a highly raw version of this granola and dehydrate it at 95-100°F instead of baking. Use sprouted organic buckwheat groats instead of oats.