Make your next morning one to remember, with this Vivacious Morning Granola. Nothing beats a morning filled with good friends, warm cups of tea, laughter and a bowl of crunchy, energizing granola. On busy mornings, this granola is a perfect fibre-rich, crunchy, protein-containing addition to your berries and fresh fruit. Absolutely crave-worthy, you can always find a mason jar of this granola in my cupboard.
Is it Healthy to Eat Oats?
Oats are a good source of dietary fiber, magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese which are needed for optimal health. Known for it's heart healthy benefits, oats are part of a healthy diet, and can be a great help for those trying to lose weight when used as a filling substitute for traditional high-calorie breakfasts.
But, most importantly - oats are a wrinkle fighting food! One cup of oats provides you with 41% of your recommended daily intake of iron, which plays a role in oxygen movement in your body. When the skin receives proper oxygen supplies, regeneration and repair of skin cells can occur, creating skin that is strong and more wrinkle resistant. The result is a youthful, glowing appearance. A lack of oxygen to the skin can lead to slow skin metabolism, reducing the ability of the skin to regenerate and heal. Oats are also a great source of cysteine, an amino acid necessary for the formation of keratin in the skin. Keratin is a protein that along with collagen and elastin helps keep the skin firm and strong. Cysteine also helps the body keep up it's pool of antioxidants - the elements in your body that protect it from damage.
Vivacious Morning Granola Recipe
Ingredients:
4 cups organic rolled oats
2 cups unsweetened organic shredded coconut
2 cups sliced raw almonds
1 cup pecans (or roasted cashews…or any nut you’re nutty about)
1⁄4 cup organic flax seeds
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/8 cup local honey
1/8 cup Canadian maple syrup
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
1 cup dried cherries, chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 °F. Toss the oats, coconut and almonds in a large bowl. Whisk together the oil, maple syrup and honey in a small bowl. Pour the liquids, a little at a time, over the oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated. Put granola mixture onto a baking sheet and spread evenly over the pan. Bake, stirring occasion- ally (about every 8-10 minutes) with a spatula until the mixture turns a nice golden brown (about 30 minutes). Remove the granola from the oven and allow it to cool, stirring occasionally. In a large bowl, combine the dried fruit, seeds and nuts. Once granola has cooled add to the bowl with the other ingredients. Store in an airtight container.
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