Nutty Granola

Perfect in your cereal bowl or as a crunchy yogurt topping

Prep Time: 20 minutes    Bake Time: 40-45 min

WHAT YOU NEED:

3 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans-- or some of each)

½ cup unsweetened dried shredded coconut

 2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. chia seeds (optional)

2 egg whites

¼ cup pure maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

 MAKING IT:

Preheat oven to 300◦F.  In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and chia seeds.  In a mixing bowl, whip egg white to a soft peak; add maple syrup and vanilla and continue to whip for about 30 seconds more.

Fold whipped egg whites into oat-nut mixture; add maple syrup. Stir gently to evenly coat the dry ingredients. Spread onto parchment lined rimmed baking pan.  Bake for 40-45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes during baking.  Granola is finished when nuts are slightly browned. Let cool on baking pan (it will crisp as it cools). Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze.

Makes about 5 cups (10 servings).

TIPS:

Ginger Granola variation: Add 1/4 cup diced crystallized ginger and 1 tsp. ground ginger to mix before baking.

To make this recipe vegan, substitute aguafaba (liquid found in canned beans or the liquid left over from cooking dried beans); it is a common substitute  for the egg whites.

Nutrition Information per serving (1/2 cup): 210 Calories; 10g Total Fat; (3g Sat Fat; 0g Trans Fat); 0mg Chol; 135mg Sodium; 27g Total Carb; (4g Fiber; 9g Sugars); 5g Protein