Mango-Agave Granola

This simple granola is made "healthier" by using whole grains, eliminating hydrogenated oils, and combining agave syrup with honey for a natural sweeter.

Old-fashioned rolled oats, liquid coconut oil, agave, honey, diced dried mango, slivered almonds, raw pumpkin, and sunflower seeds with hints of cinnamon and vanilla. Use this versatile base recipe as a "template," then try substituting with various nuts, seeds, and dried fruits to your liking.

It's wonderful served on a bed of your favorite yogurt, atop a smoothie bowl, or by the handful for a quick grab-and-go snack!

Recipe adapted from Food Network Magazine

I remember granola as being one of the first health food crazes that everyone navigated to in the nutrition world during the late 80's early 90's. It was thought to be a "health food" but many of the store-bought varieties contained a lot of sugar, unhealthy fats, and calories – and still do!

This "make over" recipe uses more natural ingredients: whole grain old-fashioned oats (I used gluten-free), liquid coconut oil in place of canola or vegetable oil, and natural sweeteners – honey, agave, and coconut sugar in place of refined white or brown sugar. It also replaces the calorie-dense sweetened dried fruits with no-sugar-added dried mango and increased the volume of raw nuts and seeds.

Don't be intimated by the thought of making your own granola at home. You won't believe how incredibly simple this recipe is to make. And by controlling exactly what is in it, will make you feel better about what you are eating and feeding to your family.

To get started, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat liner. In a small bowl, mix the liquid coconut oil, agave syrup, honey, cinnamon, coconut sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Next, combine the oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and salt in a large bowl. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir, making sure everything is evenly coated.

Spread the mixture evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees stirring occasionally, until lightly golden brown and crisp, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove the granola from the oven and let cool slightly. Break into clumps while the granola is still warm. Let cool completely, then fold in the dried mango. Store in an airtight container.

I love this served with plain, unsweetened dairy-free yogurt and a spoonful of cinnamon-creamed honey. Creamed honey is one of my new favorite food obsessions. It's like the crème de la crème of raw honey. I purchased some recently at the local farmers market in Murray, Kentucky where my daughter goes to school. Little did I know, creamed honey doesn't contain cream or butter as the name suggests. And it isn't whipped to give it the "cream" appearance. Creamed honey is processed in a special way. The formation of small sugar crystals and preventing large ones ensures the honey remains creamy and easy to spread. If you haven't tried creamed honey yet, I highly recommend that you do!

By making a few small changes – like learning to replace unhealthy, processed ingredients with natural ones – you make progress. It will make you more comfortable and confident about weekly meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking real, healthy food for your family!

Let’s get cooking!

---

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup liquid coconut oil (I used Fresh Thyme Liquid Coconut Cooking Oil)

• 1/4 cup agave syrup

• 1/4 cup clover honey

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant (I used Bob's Red Mill Rolled Oats Old Fashioned Gluten Free)

• 3/4 cup slivered almonds

• 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup diced dried sweetened mango (I used 365 Everyday Value, No Sugar Added Organic Mango Slices)

---

How to make

Please be sure to visit Food Network Magazine for the source recipe and instructions.

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat liner.

3. In a small bowl, mix the liquid coconut oil, agave syrup, honey, cinnamon, coconut sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.

4. In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and salt.

5. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir, making sure everything is evenly coated.

6. Spread the mixture evenly on the prepared baking sheet.

7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden brown and crisp.

8. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

9. Break into clumps while the granola is still warm.

10. Let cool completely, then fold in the dried mango.

11. Store in an airtight container.

12. Enjoy!

13. Please scroll to the bottom to share your comments and feedback.