TROPICAL WALNUT GRANOLA

Snacking is an activity for which I’ve acquired a newfound appreciation. Since lately everything I eat I make at home, and because I love to spread out my meals over the course of the day, snacking has been a lifesaver. While making meals from home can be extremely fun, it can also be laborious and time-consuming—and this becomes all the more frustrating the more hungry one becomes. And yet while the obvious choice is to opt for a quick and easy snack amidst tedious meal preparation, some of the snacks to which we turn aren’t that really healthy at all. The solution I offer is a snack that’s both easy to make from home and satisfyingly nutritious.

While granola recipes are usually straightforward and plain, for this recipe I wanted to come up with something genuinely flavorful and nutritious. The oats, salt, and maple syrup are to be expected as building blocks for a satisfying granola recipe. But coconut flakes, coconut oil, and coconut sugar instantaneously lend a pleasant tropical vibe to the mix. Sesame seeds, cinnamon, and vanilla add extra texture, spice, and flavor. In the context of all these ingredients, the walnuts really shine. They impart that level of crunch complexity that makes for a great batch of granola. They also find a comfortable place alongside either sweet or savory, or in the case of this granola, alongside both simultaneously. And lastly, they add nutrition to an already nutritious snack.

This tropical walnut granola is also as versatile as it is delicious. While it’s more than adequate on its own, it’s also fit for several different applications. My personal favorite is enjoying it in combination with yogurt, where the familiar crunch is greeted with some delightful creaminess and endless options for fruit and garnishes. I went with pineapple, mango, and kiwi to amplify the tropical flavors and the result was incredible. I also really enjoy treating granola like it’s cereal, which is made all better when paired with oat milk or nut milk to complement its existing flavors. You can also use this recipe as the starting point for creating homemade granola bars for a filling and convenient on-the-go snack. You can use this on top of your smoothies as a garnish atop your favorite batch of blended fruits. Toss it into your oatmeal, sprinkle it on top of your salad, bake it into your bread—be creative and experiment with its versatility.

Thanks to CA Walnuts for sponsoring this post! As always all opinions are my own.

Yields 3 cups

1 ½ cup rolled oats

¼ cup + 3 tbs flaked coconut

½ cup roughly chopped walnuts

1 ½ tbs sesame seeds

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ cup melted coconut oil

¼ cup maple syrup

2 tbs coconut sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp kosher salt

Method

Heat oven to 300°F

Grab a large bowl and add the oats, coconut flakes, walnuts, sesame seeds, and cinnamon. Give everything a little mix to combine and set the bowl aside.

In another bowl add the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, coconut sugar, vanilla, and salt, and whisk together until smooth.

Pour the liquid ingredients into the bowl of oats, and using a wooden spoon, mix everything together until all of the dry ingredients are coated with the wet.

Transfer the granola to a baking sheet, and spread it into an even layer on the pan. Baked for about 35-40-ish minutes, or until golden brown. Make sure to mix your granola around halfway through the cooking time.

Remove the granola and let cool completely before transferring to a sealable container. Store in a cool dry place for up to 4 months.