Too often, granola leaves me wanting more…more flavor, more toasty flavors, and more goodness for my body. Homemade Vanilla Chai Granola covers all the bases. It tastes great, has a good balance of cinnamon/cardamom/allspice/ginger like my favorite chai tea, and is made with ingredients that help my body.
To be honest, I don’t purchase boxed cereal if I can help it. To me, it isn’t healthy. It has way too many sugars. Sugar is going to be the downfall of our society…it is in EVERYTHING! I try to do everything I can to keep added sugars out of my family’s diet.
About the recipe…
Homemade Vanilla Chai Granola does have honey in it, which is at its base, sugar. Honey, though, has vitamins and minerals that granulated sugar or corn syrup doesn’t contain. A half cup in the entire recipe works out to be about a teaspoon per serving. I can live with that size serving.
One of my goals with this Vanilla Chai Granola recipe was to create nice chunks of granola. Some homemade granolas fall apart, and all you have left are pieces of oats and nuts. Purchased granola always has little bundles of sugared oats. That was my goal with this. I wanted something that had texture and good structure.
My suggestion for this recipe is to use old fashioned oats which are less processed than quick oats and heartier. They add a good amount of structure to the base of this granola.
I also add ground flaxseeds for their nutritional benefits. They contain healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and may help prevent diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease. I look for nutrient-dense foods, and flaxseeds are an easy addition to increase health.
You do not have to add all the nuts that I have in the recipe. However, I find that it adds protein and helps me feel full longer. The combination of walnuts, almonds, and pecans add healthy fats. Mayo Clinic lists many benefits of tree nuts in this article. Feel free to use your favorite nuts! Mix and match…the recipe is very forgiving.
Vanilla Chai Granola Recipe…
To make the Vanilla Chai Granola, I grab my large Pyrex mixing bowl and get to mixing together the dry ingredients. I add the liquid ingredients to my Pyrex 2 cup liquid measuring cup and whisk together well. After mixing the liquid and dry ingredients together until they are completely combined, I press into a half sheet pan covered with parchment paper. It is important to press the granola into the pan. It helps to create the nice little bunches of granola.
This is baked in a low oven. After about half an hour, I stir and again press the granola into the pan. The granola goes back into the oven for 15 more minutes. Finally, I let the granola cool on the pan and then break apart into pieces. To store, I keep this in a large Tupperware cereal keeper.
To serve, you can add milk, yogurt, or kefir. I measure out 1/3 cup and add 2/3 cup yogurt or kefir for my breakfast most mornings. 🙂
Homemade Vanilla Chai Granola
Notes
Any combination of nuts will work in this recipe. Feel free to make substitutions.
Also, any oil can be used instead of olive oil. Maple syrup can also be substituted for the honey.
Ingredients
- 4 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup ground flaxseed meal
- 1 cup shredded coconut, optional
- 1 cup almonds (slivered, sliced, or whole)
- 1 cup walnut halves
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F and line a half sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together all dry ingredients.
- In a 2 cup liquid measuring cup or small bowl whisk together the oil, honey, and vanilla until well combined.
- Pour liquids into dry ingredients and stir until everything is well coated.
- Press mixture into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Remove from oven, stir, press granola into the pan and bake for 10-15 more minutes or until toasted to desired doneness.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Break into pieces and store in a tightly sealed container.
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