Naraya Cooking Health Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup almond or peanut butter (I used crunchy almond butter)
• 2 small ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
• 2/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, optional
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix together the oats, almonds, pepitas, cinnamon and salt.

Warm your coconut oil and maple syrup, combine with vanilla extract. Mash your bananas and measure your nut butter. Combine the wet ingredients with the oat mixture. Toss and mix to coat well.

Spread mixture evenly on a lined or lightly greased baking sheet (I used two baking sheets). You can either lightly compact the mixture or loosely spread it out a bit. If compacting, you'll want to mix the granola when rotating after 30 minutes.

Bake for 30 minutes. Turn and rotate sheet/sheets, bake an additional 25 - 30 minutes. Keep an eye towards the end so it doesn't over brown (ovens run differently). Remove from oven, granola will be somewhat soft at first. Let cool for 15 minutes, break up into chunks, especially the center part if you've compacted the mixture. Let granola cool completely to harden.

Notes:

Change up the nuts using peanuts, walnuts or pecan pieces. Use sunflower seeds in place of the pepitas.

You will most likely do just as well without any oil. If you'd like to reduce the oil, try using only 2 tablespoons. I like the flavor and addition of the coconut oil for myself.

Once cooled, if you still find your granola to not be as crunchy as you might like, bake again at 300 degrees for about 10 minutes, keep an eye so it doesn't over brown.

This granola needs to cook low and slow. My first batch I baked at 325 degrees F. for 40 minutes but it still needed extra baking time after cooling to become crunchy. I lowered the temp and added a bit more time. Be sure to watch it towards the end so it doesn't become burnt, especially if you've spread it loosely on the baking sheet.

The 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon gives a very subtle flavor, add another 1/2 teaspoon for a more enhanced cinnamon flavor.

If you happen to have both rolled and quick oats on hand, try using 2 - 3 cups rolled oats and 1 -2 cups of quick oats (use whatever combo equals 4 cups with at least 2 cups rolled oats). This will also help to make nice clusters.

• 3 frozen bananas
• 2 - 3 tablespoons coconut butter, coconut milk* or 3 tablespoons shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• splash or two of unsweetened vanilla almond milk

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk 
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, optional
• 1 large frozen banana
• 4 - 5 ice cubes or another frozen banana
• 3 - 4 medjool dates, pitted (soft and fresh is best)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine ingredients in blender and blend until smooth, about two minutes. Add a splash or two of extra almond milk if needed.

You may have visually small pieces of dates within the shake. That's ok, and even with those I had no trouble using my straw without having to clear the bottom of it maybe once or twice....Those little chunks are so caramely and delicious!

Serves one.

Notes:

For the protein powder, I've been using the Garden of Life Raw Fit lately. I love the fact that Garden of Life has a few protein powders that don't contain stevia. I prefer to sweeten my shakes/smoothies with fruits and personally don't care for the stevia after taste. I'm not on a weight management program but do love the high protein amount in this powder. The Raw Fit contains 28 grams of protein, which is half my daily recommended amount. For me, one shake a day is a perfect treat! If using protein powder, you may like to add 1/4 - 1/2 cup more of milk or water.

• 3 cups oats, quick or regular
• 1 1/2 cups spelt flour OR 2 cups oat flour
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar or organic cane sugar
• 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 heaping teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup coconut oil (in either a creamy or liquid state)
• 1/2 large banana, mashed or 2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 5 Tbsp water)
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or unsweetened almond milk (at room temp or warmer)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (Ghirardelli Semi Sweet or Enjoy Life, both vegan)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

If using flax eggs, in a small bowl combine 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal + 5 tablespoons water. Set aside for at least 10 minutes to gel up. If using banana, in small bowl mash your banana as smooth as possible, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine coconut oil and sugar, mix well. Add in mashed banana/flax egg, vanilla and room temperature maple syrup (make sure maple syrup/milk is at room temp or higher to prevent the coconut oil from hardening and clumping when they come together).

In a medium bowl or measuring cup, combine the flour, cinnamon and baking soda. Slowly add in the flour, mixing well to combine scraping the bottom to make sure there are no flour clumps. Add in oats, mix well. Lastly, add in chocolate chips, mix again.

Line a cookie/baking sheet with a silpat, parchment paper or lightly grease with coconut oil. Scoop out rounded tablespoons of mixture and place on sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool a few minutes and enjoy.

Makes approx 24 cookies.

Cookies can be stored in an air tight container.


I made all my batches with the mashed banana option, coconut sugar and quick cooking oats.

The pictures of the plated cookies are made with spelt flour. The cookies cooling on the rack are the made with oat flour. I did this so you can see the difference. See here for spelt flour cookies cooling.