Maple Pecan Granola
I’m all about quick, easy meals for breakfast.
My morning meal must comprise of three qualities: 1. It has to be easily accessible, 2. It has to be effortless—I’m talking spoon and dump, and 3. It must be portable. Yes, I’m lazy.
Here’s the story: I’m a hot mess in the morning. I can barely get myself ready, let alone worry about creating a gourmet meal for breakfast. Pancakes and french toast are never going to happen during the work week…ever! It takes all the effort I have just to kick the sheets off and roll out of bed. I’m not kidding, either; I literally pencil roll it out of bed in the morning.
The solution? A grab-and-go breakfast that will keep me full and energized until lunch. This maple pecan granola is just that.
This granola is loaded with pecans. Two cups of pecan goodness gets added to this recipe. No skimping allowed! Nuts=toasted deliciousness. It’s a fact.
Just a friendly warning: you’re going to crave this granola. It will start off as breakfast, but then it will makes it’s way into your lunch. When that’s not enough, you’ll grab a handful for a pre-workout snack. Then you’ll start eating it for dinner because you’re too lazy to cook and it’s way too hot to turn on the stove.
Granola obsession.
There is a man in my life with a granola obsession. No, it’s not Squirrel. Guess again.
My grandfather has been plagued with the granola obsession. I make him a different type of granola every time he visits. My grandmother had to buy a special “granola jar” for him to keep his stash fresh and easily accessible.
There’s no hiding his obsession, either. The unscrewing of the lid gives him away every time. He says my grandmother calls him out each time his hand reaches in the jar to grab a fistful. “You in the jar again,” she’ll yell from the patio. Caught again!
This is a no-fuss, easily adaptable recipe. That means, if you like walnuts–add ’em. If you like dried fruit–throw it in.
I like the simplicity that is this granola. Oats, shredded coconut, pecans, maple syrup, brown sugar, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. That’s it.
The pecans are the star of the show here. They toast up perfectly, flavoring the rest of the ingredients with their toasted, nutty oils. This has become my favorite granola. I’ve already made it close to a dozen times, tweaking each batch until it was perfect.
Nothing but the best for my readers.
Eat it by the fistful straight out of the glass jar, sprinkle it on some muffin batter, swirl it into yogurt, pour some milk over it, or eat it with fruit. Either way, you’re going to love it.
The best part… It’s healthy!
Maple Pecan Granola
A simple and flavorful granola recipe loaded with toasted pecans. Great for a grab-and-go breakfast or healthy snacking.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 2 cups pecans, roughly chopped
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/3 cup grade A maple syrup (the real stuff)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, pecans, coconut, salt, and brown sugar. Give it a quick stir with a rubber spatula to combine.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture over the oats. Using a rubber spatula, fold the oil mixture into the oat mixture until the dry ingredients are equally coated.
- Transfer the mixture to the parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure to spread the mixture evenly onto the sheet.
- Bake, stirring every 10 minutes, for 25-30 minutes, or until the mixture is golden brown. Cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring to an airtight container. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.