Savory Granola

Summer is the perfect time to vacation and as much anticipated summer travels are, they can be extremely tricky. An unplanned vacation can very easily alter your routine, making it challenging to keep up with your daily healthy habits. Homemade snacks (esp.  while traveling) are the best and they beat anything you could find at the airport, office vending machine or gas station. Whether you are traveling or not, Savory Granola is an easy to make and  pack snack. It is gluten free, and loaded with healthy carbs and Omega-3 fatty acids.

The sweetness in this granola comes from pure maple syrup, raisins and dates. It is salty, spicy, crunchy, studded with toasted nuts, raisins, dates and a hint of sweetness from maple syrup. It tastes delicious on its own but also makes a great accompaniment for yoghurt,  fresh fruit, or  salads. It can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Ingredients
1½ cups gluten-free rolled oats
1 Cup coarsely chopped mixed nuts, I used cashews, almonds, walnuts and pecans
2  Tablespoons Poppy Seeds, optional
2 Tablespoons Raisins
4-5 Dates, chopped
2 Tablespoons Sunflower Seeds
1 Tablespoon Pure Maple Syrup
1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil, melted
Pinch (or more) of Cayenne Pepper
½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
½ Teaspoon Dried Rosemary

Process

1. Preheat your oven to 300 F . Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, chopped nuts, poppy seeds, raisins, dates and sunflower seeds.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the maple syrup, coconut oil, cayenne pepper, sea salt, rosemary and black pepper.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula (or using your hands) until well combined.
5. Transfer the granola to the prepared baking sheet and spread out in an even layer.
6. Bake the granola for 15 minutes. Stir well (spread in an even layer  again) and  bake for  additional 10 – 15 minutes until golden brown (25 – 30 minutes total).
7. Let the granola cool completely before serving or storing it.

Enjoy! 🙂