In this recipe I used walnuts, pecans, pumpkinseeds (pepitas) and almonds, along with a few other delicious ingredients. The walnuts provide heart healthy omega 3s while pecans provide antioxidants and mind health benefits. Pumpkinseeds provide a whole different spectrum of nutrition including zinc, vitamin E, Manganese and Magnesium. Almonds while technically being a seed can benefit heart health while also helping to lower bad LDL cholesterol. Considering this granola is packed with different nuts and seeds it sure does have a hefty dose of healthy nutrition, from heart health to mind health! In addition to all the previous ingredients I also added in some coconut flakes which give the granola somewhat of an oat-like granola texture. Coconut also has some extreme health benefits of its own. The saturated fats in coconut are actually not bad at all and can help with fat loss! In addition to healthy fats coconuts contain vitamins such as B and C along with fiber. Another seed I threw into the mix (yes I am still going on) are chia seeds, yep the same ones everyone used to grow in little decorative pots. Well these tiny seeds are packed with powerful vitamins and minerals. Chia seeds are actually a member of the mint family and grow abundantly in south mexico. These little seeds provide a healthy dose of fiber, calcium, phosphorus, antioxidants and omega 3s for our bodies. So feel free to indulge in this delicious granola now that you know what it has in store!
Nutty Orange Spice Granola
Ingredients:
3/4 cup raw walnuts
1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup coconut chips (large flakes)
1/2 cup raw pecans
3/4 cup certified gluten free rolled oats (this is actually optional if you want it to be even lower carb)
2 tbs chia seeds
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
about 7 large dried mission figs, chopped
1 large date, de-pitted and chopped
about 1/3 cup fresh clementine juice, plus some extra pulp squeezed out
1/4 cup maple syrup
1-2 tsp orange zest from an organic orange (to ensure it wasn't wax coated)
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 350F degrees.
Add all the dry ingredients together including the spices, you can also optionally chop the nuts but I didn't. Next stir in the dried figs, orange juice, zest and maple syrup.
Spread the granola mixture on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 45 minutes stirring ever 15 minutes, to make sure it doesn't burn. Store in air tight glass jars for up to a couple of weeks. Enjoy! I especially enjoy having this granola over a bowl of yogurt or a berry smoothie!
*Another great option (which I haven't tried yet) would be to sub in apple sauce or pumpkin (of course) for the orange juice if you do not have or like oranges!