Easy Lemon Granola

It’s great with Almond Milk, it’s great with Coconut Yogurt, it’s great eaten as a snack on it’s own—homemade granola takes a few minutes to prepare and can be easily adapted to create all sorts of flavor combinations. This recipe for Easy Lemon Granola will get you started and hooked on the habit of making your own.

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

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

*You’ll likely need to two cookie sheets or you can bake two batches of granola to prepare amounts below.

Ingredients:
Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why.
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
2 tbsp fresh lemon zest*
1 cup shredded or flaked coconut (I prefer texture from flaked)
2 cups raw, rolled oats (look for truly gluten-free if you have a sensitivity)
1 tbsp organic vanilla extract
1 tsp fine-ground sea salt
3/4 cup organic maple syrup (Grade B: it has the most trace minerals)
1/2 cup sun-dried raisins

*Use the lemon juice for another recipe like Lemon, Buckwheat & Asparagus Risotto

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

2. Spread mixture onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool—syrup will harden as Easy Lemon Granola cools. Crumble into a large bowl and toss with raisins. Enjoy and store in an airtight container in the fridge for months.

Play:
1. Try adding other dried fruits like apple, mango, blueberries, gojis, cherries.
2. Try adding spices like cardamom and cinnamon, or even cocoa.
3. Try different nuts and seeds like walnuts, pecans, sesame seeds and poppy seeds.
4. Get fancy and try adding 1 tsp at a time to taste of rosewater or orange blossom water (a little goes a long way)
5. Try different zests like orange and lime.

Just share what YU come up with! #YUMadeIt

Try your Easy Lemon Granola with:
Homemade non-dairy milks (this is the ultimate guide)

Homemade Coconut Yogurt

Now, I want to hear from YU. Will you make this recipe as-is or will you add some of the goodies I suggest? Tell us with a comment below.

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