V-DAY: ULTIMATE GRANOLA, 3 WAYS

Whether you are single, spending the day with your significant other or just making sweet sentiments for your loved ones, this is your perfect gift. I know Valentines day is usually full of chocolate and garbage store bought candy, but starting out your day with a delicious healthy meal is the smart thing to do. Granola is full of health benefits and these ultimate granola recipes are tasty and satisfying. They are all vegan and free of nasty chemicals. I would suggest getting some of these small mason jars and making little gifts out of them. Buy some cute ribbon and a permanent marker to label the lid and you have a personalized gift that is much more thoughtful than any paper valentine. The way this recipe works is there is a base to start. The base is the same for all of the granola flavors. You make that and pick your favorite flavor, or split the recipe up and make all of them. Add in the extra ingredients, bake, cool and enjoy. I included Peanut Butter Brownie, Banana Bread Crunch, and Espresso Maple French Toast. Enjoy these for a sweet start to the day anytime of year!

// BASE //

• 3 cups of old fashioned oats
• 3 tablespoons of raw sugar
• 3 tablespoons of coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt

// ESPRESSO MAPLE FRENCH TOAST //

• 1/3 cup of maple syrup
• 3/4 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
• 1/3 cup crushed, raw pecans
• 1 teaspoon of finely ground espresso

// BANANA BREAD CRUNCH //

• 5 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey
• 1 mashed banana
• 1/3 cup of crushed, raw walnuts
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean pod
• 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest

// PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIE //

• 3 tablespoons of raw unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons of cocoa nibs
• 2 tablespoons of PB2 powder/ peanut butter
• 4 tablespoons of agave nectar
• 2 tablespoons of non-dairy milk

Steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 350'F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt with a fork. Using a rice fluffing method, break up the coconut oil and keep fluffing till the oil has thoroughly coated the oats.
3. Pick your most desired flavor and mix in all of the added ingredients. Fluff the granola one last time with a fork. 
4. On a sheet tray lined with parchment paper, pour the mixture on to the tray and spread it out to a single layer.
5. Bake times vary per flavor. 

• Espresso Maple French Toast: 25 minutes
• Banana Bread Crunch: 35 minutes
• Peanut Butter Brownie: 30 minutes

*If you use a dark coated sheet tray, the needed baking time will reduce by 5 to 10 minutes