Orange and Almond Granola Recipe

Oh, I can see your face right now. She’s that mom, the mom who makes her own granola.

(You can imagine an “eye roll” emoji right here.)

Don’t worry–I still use a plastic water bottle, drugstore cosmetics, and enjoy some high fructose corn syrup now and again.

You still reading? Good!

Granola is the perfect snack for the kiddos. It has filling fiber, a little protein, and this recipe even has a few servings of healthy fats. It takes kids a good long time to chew on, and it’s infinitely customizable to meet the wishes of even the pickiest eaters or those with dietary restrictions.

On top of all these facts, homemade granola is stupidly easy to make at home. Chances are, you have most of the ingredients in your pantry today.

My son has a long history of a deep love for granola. I made a batch to take to a play-date when he was a little and he claimed the entire bag for himself. He proceeded to down half of it on his own. He loves the stuff.

I love making homemade granola because it’s a great cereal alternative. I really don’t care for many of the boxed cereals on the market due to the additions of all the unhealthy foods we’re not supposed to be eating. Some control in one snack food is a pretty great feeling.

I’ve developed this recipe to be an alternative to the super high calorie and fat granola recipes out there. I’ve included some chia seeds, almonds, and one of my favorite flavor magicians: orange zest.

You could make this recipe your own by adding your favorite chopped or slivered nuts, shredded coconut, superfood seeds, or even some dried fruits (after the cooking process). The possibilities are endless.

Enlist kids to assist in the cooking and add-on selection process. It’s a great way for them to take ownership of their food in a really fun way.  And it’s the best way to combat any of that pesky pickiness.

This recipe is vegan, can be made gluten free with GF oats, and can easily be made without the nuts for a nut-free version.
I love to serve this over some greek yogurt or in a bowl with my favorite milk in lieu of cereal. I’ve even seen it served on top of ice cream. My son just loves it just the way it is- served in fistfuls straight out of a zip top bag.

I promise that if you try this recipe you’ll quickly convert from the eye roll emoji over to the heart eyes emoji in no time flat.

Orange Almond Granola
Ingredients:
3 Cups Rolled Oats
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Chia Seeds
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Almonds (or slivered almonds or almond meal)
2 Tablespoons Orange Zest
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Cup Orange Juice
2 Tablespoons Melted Coconut Oil (or sub melted butter or any mild flavored oil)
1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine first 6 ingredients (the dry ingredients) in a large bowl. In a small bowl mix together orange juice, oil, and vanilla extract. Pour wet ingredients over dry and mix together well. These steps woulds be great jobs for the small chefs!

Now for the momma jobs: Pour granola mixture onto a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread evenly. Bake for 40-50 minutes at 325 degrees stirring every ten minutes. To stir, use a large spatula and push the outer edges of the mixture to the center of the tray and stir to combine. Then spread the mixture to the edges ensuring it’s evenly spread. The granola is done when it is golden brown throughout. It may still seem too soft at the end of the cooking time- but it will cool and become perfectly crunchy.

Let cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week.

Nutrition (approximately 12 servings 1/3 cup per serving): calories 215, carbs 31, Fat 8g, protein 4g, sodium 51mg, sugar 10g.

Give it a try and let us know your favorite way to serve up crunchy granola goodness!