You might be stockpiling food in your freezer IF.…
1) You’re a food blogger and can only cram so much in the fridge.
2) You realize you can stop yourself from eating an entire batch of cookies if you freeze them. Then you realize the cookies taste amazing frozen and now you have annoying freezer crumbs everywhere.
3) Your mom taught you to never throw out food. Leftovers are your friend.
4) You are 86 years old.
5) Your ‘cooking-impaired’ significant other may not survive while you are out of town (Hi mom!)
6) Your nephews are coming to visit for a week!
Check, check, check!
I’m known as Auntie Angie.
Or more realistically, The fun girl who looks like mommy and bakes reeeeally yummy Glo Bars.
Or perhaps even more realistically, The fun girl who lets us get away with sticky Glo Bar fingers and believes us when we say, ‘Mommy said I could watch one more show before bed’.
Mommy, did not say that, but we’ll pretend she did.
We can also pretend that this granola is going to last a week and a half in the freezer with Uncle Eric creepin around. He’s a bit of a granola creeper, that guy. I may have to tell him there are beans in it to keep him away.
(vanilla beans, but shhhh…)
Lightened Up Summer Granola (Oil-Free & Reduced Sugar)
Yield
5 cups
Prep time
Rest time
15 minutes
Cook time
Total time
I love granola, but I don’t always love its usual oil and sugar heavy profile. This crunchy lightened up version doesn’t contain any oil and is lightly sweetened, resulting in a light tasting granola perfect for those warmer summer months! I love this granola crumbled over a bowl of Vegan Overnight Oats, a Green Monster, or Raw Buckwheat Breakfast Porridge. Adapted from My Favourite Granola.
Ingredients
For the dry ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup almonds, chopped
- 1/2 cup uncooked millet
- 2 tbsp ground flax
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/4 cup Sucanat (or brown sugar)
- 1/2-3/4 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
For the wet ingredients
- heaping 2 tbsp applesauce
- 1/4 cup Brown Rice Syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
- 3 tbsp Maple Cinnamon Almond Butter w/ hemp, flax, chia (or other nut butter)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 vanilla beans, scraped (optional)
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick mat.
- In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the wet ingredients (except for the vanilla beans and extracts). Microwave for about 60 seconds on high. Now stir in the extracts and scraped vanilla beans until combined.
- Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir well until everything is coated. Mixture will be a bit dry at first but keep mixing as it will eventually come together! Adjust salt to taste. Scoop onto baking sheet.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once half way through baking. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes on the baking sheet. Makes about 5 cups. Store in an air-tight container for 1-2 months.
A couple months ago, I sent my nephews a box of this granola as a special treat. Kristi reported back that they gobbled it up and also asked if Auntie could make this for them when they visit! Granola is a great snack to have on hand to mix in cereal, yogurt, or even on its own.
Of course, I had to do an official taste testing this morning. :)
I crumbled some granola on top of a bowl of Blueberry Vegan Overnight Oats. A lovely summer breakfast!
Now, I just need to hide this from Eric. And myself. Does granola taste good frozen? Don’t answer that.
Here’s what I’ve stockpiled in my freezer so far:
- Blueberry Chia Breakfast Squares
- Our Perfect Veggie Burger (I just froze the raw patties)
- Glo Bars galore
- Granola
- Peanut Butter Crunch Cookie Dough Balls
- Mac n Cheeze sauce (I froze a batch of versions I and version II– they LOVE this recipe!)
- Energy Pills…errr…kale…
I’m now on the hunt for kid-friendly entree ideas. If you have any suggestions, please leave them below!
Now, if you’ll excuse me I have a kiddie pool to set up.
my freezer is stuffed with loaf breads pre-sliced, cookies, raw cookie dough balls (your version), and sometimes soups too! I always talk about using my freezer for more than just ice cream!
I was thinking of buying some granola this weekend, no need to now I can make my own!
I think it would actually taste really great straight from the freezer, perhaps with some banana ‘soft serve’ :)
I laughed so hard at #2! I made Mama Pea’s doughballs the other day, threw them in the freezer, forgot about them, re-discovered them last night, and today? They’re gone. Oops?
Homemade granola is the best! This looks awesome.
Build your own pizzas is always a good kid-friendly idea. My super picky son will only eat pizza when he makes it himself, he makes it into a face :)
I finally bought my first chia seeds from the bulk section. I’ll be making some vegan overnight oats tommorow, yay! Your nephews are lucky to have you as an Aunt that cooks such delicious, healthy food for them. :)
I love your original granola recipe, so I’m sure this is just as good! I’ll have to make it once my current granola stash runs out.
Have fun with your nephews this week! You should make your “blizzards” for them – but then I think they may want to live with you permanently! :P
I love you for this. There are three little boy guests in my house this week and I really want to make them healthy treats. I have a feeling the Mac n Cheez would go other big time. And as for this granola, I’m making it just for me!! It is awesome to have a lightened up version to satisfy my inner granola monster.
The best granola is always homemade :)
I pretty much want to live in your freezer.
I love your photos and recipe creations so much! Very inspiring Angela – thanks!
Maybe green monsters for the monsters….ok I’m not saying your nephews are monsters but they are young, energetic kids right…;)
This looks so yummy! I love homemade granola. Such a perfect treat!
This is the answer to my prayers Angela! I adore granola but banned myself from making or buying it as I scoff it in no time and as you say it’s packed with sugar and fat.
I’ll be making this pronto! :)
for kids: tacos, pasta, homemade soup, poached egg sandwiches, lasagna. y niece eats just about anything, but I’ve never met a kid who doesn’t love tacos. Or chicken fingers for that matter.
I’m not one to leave comments on a blog, but I just say how much I LOVE your blog…and every single one of the recipes you post. Your pictures are also fantastic….so colorful. They make your food look irresistible. I’ve only tried one of your recipes (apple cookies), and they were delish! I can’t wait to try more. Thanks so much!!!
Thank you Amy!
Great minds think alike! I just posted a granola recipe, lower in fat & sugar, on Monday! Your recipe sounds super tasty!
Have a great day!!
Just made a batch of your granola recipe! It’s delicious. The millet gives it a perfect crunch! Not too sweet, just salty enough. Very very good! It will be enjoyed by all my family for sure!
I made this granola last night and had it for breakfast this morning. Wow! Best granola ever!!! I love the crunch of the millet. I skipped the sucanat and put in 3 drops of stevia with the vanilla and almond flavour instead. I also used half agave and half honey as liquid sweeteners. Yum!
This stuff is seriously addictive. I had a few handful before going to the gym and another few when I came back. I’m going to stick it in the freezer and keep out of sight. Hopefully, it lasts a couple more days =P
Thanks for the awesome recipe!!!
yum, yum,,,it smells heavenly(in the oven right now),, made your other granolas and their awesome too! Used buckwheat(on hand) added cocnut(<3) and some homemade apple butter with the apple sauce, walnuts(again on hand)…lucky, lucky nephews…enjoy your visit.
I love those Welch’s freezies! They’ve been a staple in my freezer all summer.