Delicious granola
by Josephine Cabrall, FGHG Naturopath
This granola is very low in sugar, has around half the carbohydrate content of the average supermarket granola or muesli, is higher in protein, is easy to make and best of all, it is still delicious!
Like most commercially available cereals, store-bought muesli are super high in sugar and needlessly so, when you can make one that tastes absolutely delicious with far less of it. Personally, I think this recipe tastes better than any pre-packaged muesli I’ve tried (and I’ve tried a lot).
So why would being lower in carbohydrate and sugar be an advantage? Well, most of us are having too much carbohydrate and sugar on a daily basis (they’re in most convenience and packaged foods), without enough protein and fats, and this causes blood sugar dysregulation. Basically, when we eat in this way, our blood sugar rises and our pancreas goes into overdrive, pumping out lots of insulin to deal with the glucose load, which then leads to a blood sugar drop and sugar cravings. As you can imagine, starting your day like that can set you up for a day of eating poorly and feeling crappy. If repeated, this can lead to hormonal dysregulation, weight gain and contribute to fertility problems.
So start your day with this delicious granola instead. The protein and healthy fats in the nuts and seeds will keep you full and satisfied for longer than your average cereal, setting you up for a good day. Plus your taste buds will be happy too. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups oats
- ½ cup flaked almonds
- ½ cup other nuts (choose from pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews or pistachios)
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup shredded or flaked coconut
- 1 tablespoons real maple syrup
- 1.5 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract or vanilla powder
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Method
Preheat oven to 160 degrees
Place oats, almonds, other nuts, pumpkin seeds and coconut in a large bowl
Melt coconut oil in a small saucepan with maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and sea salt
Pour wet ingredients over dry in the large bowl
Stir until thoroughly combined
Place mixture on a tray lined with baking paper
Bake for 20 minutes, stirring once after 10 minutes
Serve with milk or yoghurt of choice and fresh berries or kiwi fruit
Tips
You can double this to make two trays and store in an airtight glass jar in the cupboard
Josephine Cabrall is an experienced, FGHG naturopath and trained fertility teacher with a special interest in fertility, IVF support, reproductive health and pregnancy. Her own health experiences have left Josephine with a passion for helping people (whether trying to conceive or not) with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), acne, gut health and stress reduction.
