Boy have I missed granola lately! It makes for a quick snack, packs easily for trips, and forms the perfect substitute for store-bought cereal. I’ve avoided granola for the past few months because it’s usually loaded with grains, but I’ve kept my eyes open for another option. Recently, I was chatting with Molly , hearing about the new animals and other recent developments over at Apricot Lane Farms . We came up with this recipe together. . . seeds, nuts, ground flaxseed, coconut, and date paste to sweeten. For this version, I added some pumpkin pie spice, but you can try substituting spices or add any number of dried fruits for variety.
I used ground flaxseeds and dehydrated the granola at a low temperature. You may be tempted to accelerate the process at a higher setting, but keep in mind that flaxseed oil is very sensitive to heat . It has a smoking point of 225 degrees F, so a higher heat will oxidize the oils found in flaxseeds. Keep this in mind when you bake or cook with flaxseed oil or flaxseeds. It’s best to use flaxseeds or flaxseed oil when dehydrating or in cold dishes.
I soak the nuts and seeds to help release the phytic acid (phytic acid can cause digestive issues for many). One evening, soak the nuts and seeds overnight. The next evening, dehydrate the granola in the oven. It takes a little bit of patience, but hardly any hands-on work. Also, keep in mind that this granola isn’t super sweet. If you’d like a sweeter granola, then add more date paste to taste (I’d start with an extra 1/4 cup). Makes about 7 1/2 cups…
