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Easy & Healthy Homemade Granola

Yum

August 6, 2020 By Laura Ligos, MBA, RD, CSSD Leave a Comment

I’m not sure if it’s trending again or if people just really love it, but I keep getting questions about granola. Is it healthy? Should I eat it? What kind should I buy? Can I make it? All are valid questions so I’m going to answer all of that today as well as give you an easy & healthy homemade granola recipe for you to try. 

homemade granola

Is Granola Healthy?

Anytime I get this question about any food item you can almost always guess the answer is “it depends.” There are some foods that are a clear yes (veggies) or no (twinkies) but for the most part we really have to consider context. All foods can fit as along as they don’t cause us any physical harm or they don’t cause us to want to binge or have an unhealthy relationship with food. 

So, that being said, I think granola can most certainly fit into a healthy diet and lifestyle. I, personally, do not always buy granola but once it awhile I just want to something crunchy to top my morning yogurt parfait, oatmeal or smoothie bowl. Certainly there are things to look out for when purchasing granola, more on that below but for many it will come down to preference.

homemade granola

Verdict: Granola can be part of a healthy diet & lifestyle

Should I Eat Granola?

I don’t know…should you?! Ha! That’s my sarcastic/sassy comment back when people ask me if they should or shouldn’t eat something. The thing is only you can truly decide how a food makes you feel. That being said, it’s all about context. If your diet is high in processed foods, sugar, artificial flavors/colors, etc. then maybe adding granola on top of that is not a great idea. 

On the flip side if you’re someone who eats a relatively whole food diet then what’s the harm in enjoying a little crunch? Answer: no harm at all. So, it then comes down to preference. Do you like granola? Great, grab some to eat? Do you feel like it’s too sweet? Too full of nuts? Just not your cup of tea? Okay, awesome, skip it. 

homemade granola

What Kind of Granola Should I Buy?

This may be a better question to ask, because not all granolas are created equal. When I was in college, I used to love the granola found in the dining halls. I can tell you there were no nuts in it (maybe some almond flavoring?!) a ton of sugar and probably little nutritional value. Was it delicious? Yes! Was it filling and satisfying? Not at all. 

There are many granolas like that on the market today but there are also some great brands that have a lower added sugar content, a higher fiber content, and just all around provide a ton of nutrient value (i.e. vitamins, minerals, etc.) per bite. 

Best Store Bought Granola Brands: 

Bear Naked

Bob’s Red Mill

Gatherer’s Granola 

Purely Elizabeth 

Safe + Fair 

Wildway 

best store bought granola

Can I Make Granola Myself?

Absolutely! It’s actually fairly easy to make healthy homemade granola, it just takes a little more effort than opening a bag of one of the granolas mentioned above and some planning, but I have faith in you. Most of the ingredients you can buy in bulk and just have ready to go when you want a fresh batch of granola. It also lasts for probably a week in your pantry (I say probably because it goes fast in my house because it’s so tasty!)

Grab your favorite ingredients and get to work. You can add this healthy homemade granola recipe to your weekly meal prep and then you have a little something to look forward to for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert. 

homemade granola

Easy & Healthy Homemade Granola 

Alright, now for what you’ve all been waiting for…unless of course you just skipped on down to the recipe then good on ya! This recipe was so easy to make and was one of my favorites that I made during all this quarantine mayhem. 

This homemade granola is low in added sugar, high in flavor and also a great source of protein, fiber and healthy fats to keep you satisfied and regular. I can’t wait for you to try it out and let me know what you think! 

homemade granola

Pro Tip: You can make this granola your own by adding in different mix-ins like dried cranberries, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc. to get a different flavor profile every time. 

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homemade granola

Easy & Healthy Homemade Granola

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 12 1x
  • Category: Breakfast, Snack
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Ingredients

  • 3 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup almonds
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
  • 1/4 cup almond butter
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Combine rolled oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds & chia seeds in a large bowl.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the rest of the ingredients then pour over the oat mixture and mix to coat evenly.
  4. Spread mixture out in one single layer on baking sheet and bake in oven for 20 minutes
  5. Remove and let cook for 10 minutes before breaking it up and storing in an air tight container.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @@thesassydietitian on Instagram

I hope you enjoy this recipe (or find a brand that you love) and if you do don’t forget to tag me @thesassydietitian or even comment below to let me know how it all turned out. 

xoxo,

Sassy

…

Pin Now, Granola Later

 

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I MAY BE COMPENSATED THROUGH AFFILIATE LINKS IN THIS POST AND ON THIS SITE. HOWEVER, ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN. COMPENSATION HELPS WITH ANY EXPENSES NEEDED TO KEEP THIS BLOG GOING.homemade granola

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Filed Under: Breakfast/Brunch, Recipes, Snacks & Sides

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@thesassydietitian

We’ve made it over a week together and it feels We’ve made it over a week together and it feels like it’s always been this way.

Motherhood is a wild ride & it’s only getting started. I have never been so tired & simultaneously so fulfilled in my life. That’s not to say it’s not filled with tears, worries and doubts but what fun would it be if it were all sunshine and roses anyway?

Going into this all I have felt so supported by friends going through this with me BUT I felt so unsupported by the general public. It seems like we want to fear and shame moms because misery loves company, right?!

The focus quickly shifts from mom to baby (still shocked that I only have an appointment at 6 weeks even though my body went through the biggest event of its life) and there also seems to be this shift from joy to shame & guilt.

Here’s some of what I heard from people:

😕Sleep when baby sleeps. You’ll never sleep again.
😕Don’t let baby sleep in a car seat, or a bouncer, or anywhere but their crib EVER. 
😕You’ll never have time to shower again, enjoy it now. 
😕Cry it out is cruel and harmful to the baby. 
😕Get baby on a schedule/never put baby on a schedule.

These are all things I heard and that truly led me to believe I was going to lose all sense of who I was and my life as I knew it.

What I wish people had said instead were:

🥰Your heart will grow bigger than you could imagine.
🥰You’ll cry the happiest tears you’ve ever cried.
🥰You’ll feel like a giant hole was filled that you didn’t even know was there.
🥰You won’t feel guilty about cleaning your house, it just won’t matter anymore.
🥰Babies pooping will make you laugh so hard you will feel like a kid again.
🥰You will have time to eat and shower and you don’t have to neglect yourself.

We need to do a better job of building each other up, supporting one another and our decisions while refraining from offering unsolicited advice and opinions. 

So for all you future mamas and new mamas out there, I see you, I’m proud of you and I cannot wait to share our stories with one another and the world.

Let’s stop fear mongering (just like the diet world) and start building one another up.

Xoxo,
Sassy & lil sassy man
🌈Some things truly are worth the wait. It’s b 🌈Some things truly are worth the wait. It’s been a long year of loss, unknowns and worry but it’s all been worth it to get to meet my lil man🥰
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Now time to introduce this sassy human who is already so well loved to the world...
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Introducing 

💙 Connor James Ligos 💙
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After an almost 24 hour labor, Connor joined us over a week past his due date on 2/12/21 at a whopping 9lb2oz & 22.5 inches long with a full head of hair and lungs to scream hello to us with.
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We are so in love already and cannot wait to share him with the world. Thank you for all the love and support from friends and family and to all those that helped us in the hospital. Holy cow labor & delivery teams are truly magical and I cannot imagine doing it without all of their support.
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Now back to snuggling this human of mine and trying not to cry at every last thing he does 🥰 
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Mom, Dad & Bode are all doing well!
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#babyboy #pregnancyafterloss #rainbowbaby #birthdayboy #birthannouncement
I get it, we all eat so we all then want to talk t I get it, we all eat so we all then want to talk to others about what worked for us. That's great!
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What's not great is when we push our nutrition and eating behaviors onto others ESPECIALLY when we are not qualified to do so.
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So often when people meet me for the first time they are worried to eat around me and/or buy groceries around me. My friends can attest I am not judgemental around food and will gladly eat that cake, queso dip or sip on that glass of wine right alongside of you. I am not the food police and do not offer unsolicited nutrition advice unless it's a client who is paying for my help OR on Instagram and other social media platforms where my goal is to educate.
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Why do I share this? 
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Because I see far too many people diving down diet rabbit holes, finding success & then claiming to be nutrition experts purely because something worked for them. 
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I've also seen this alot being pregnant, everyone wants to tell you what worked for them. IF you use that stipulation of "this worked for me" then fine, share away but if you start doleing out advice please pause, take a breath and think about NOT doing it.
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People are OVERWHELMED by diet culture and some so badly want to change but YOUR way is not the only way and it most likely is not what will work for your friend/coworker/cousin/neighbor so please, stop trying to be an expert in something you aren't.
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Got it!?! 
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Ok, carry on.
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xoxo,
Sassy
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#nutrition #nutritiontips #nutritionist #dietitianapproved #rdapproved #rdchat #dietitiansofinstagram #dietitian #dietitiansofig #albanyny #albanynutrition #albanynutrition
Your nutrition does NOT need to be all or nothing. Your nutrition does NOT need to be all or nothing. I'm not saying you have to find perfect balance (does that even exist?) but I am saying that we shouldn't feel like either we have to eat perfectly or that we might as well give up.
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Instead we should look to the grey area in between for our nutrition guidance. 
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What do I mean?
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I mean that we need to realize that we can still eat cookies but we probably should throw some veggies in there. 
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We can have a glass or 2 of wine but we should probably also drink some water. 
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We can take rest days but we should also find ways to move our bodies regularly.
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And the list goes on.
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It's not about all or nothing it's about doing something daily to help your health and nutrition without it feeling like a set of rules or a free for all.
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How do we find that grey area in between?
👉🏻 stop hopping on and off fad diets
👉🏻listen and trust your self, not your coworkers and cousins 
👉🏻focus on the simple things (ie drinking water instead of worrying about supplements)
👉🏻work to remove guilt and shame around food & body
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Where do you currently fall Right now?!
🤪 all
👍🏻in between 
🙅🏻‍♀️ nothing 
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Xoxo,
Sassy
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#dietitian #dietitiansofig #dietitiansofinstagram #nutrition #nutritionist #nutritiontips #thesassydietitian #rdchat #realtalk

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