All-Natural Orange Granola Recipe!

With all the colds and flu going around, I need all the help I can get to keep my family healthy.  A friend shared this easily adaptable, all-natural orange granola recipe.  I love it as a snack after working out or to add to lunches.

I have been experimenting with ways to try Essential Oils to help me live a more healthy lifestyle as part of my New Year, New You plan!

This recipe uses orange oil, which is high in antioxidants and helps support a healthy immune system.

And the best part is – this granola is all-natural, easy to make, and YUMMY!

Here’s the recipe:

Orange Cranberry Granola

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup oil (I use extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil)

1/3 cup honey (tip: use the same measuring cup as the oil and your honey won’t stick.

Combine these in a large pan on the stove top. Heat on medium to high heat until the brown sugar is dissolved.

Once the brown sugar is dissolved, add the following,

5 cups rolled oats (or if I am adding other things, like quinoa, chia seeds, hemp hearts, I just make sure all of the dry items mixed together is about 5 cups)

3/4 cup cranberries

1/2 cup sliced almonds

5-8 drops of Young Living Orange Oil (you can very this based on how much orange flavoring you like)

1tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

Stir and incorporate the dry ingredients well.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spread mixture out on a large, greased cookie sheet (jelly roll pan) with sides.
3. Bake at 375 for 10-11 minutes. Do not over bake.
4. Let it cool on the cookie tray. Stir it/break it up every once in a while, while it cools. If you don’t stir it, it’ll turn into one big chunk (which is still yummy but harder to eat).

This recipe is very forgiving and easily adaptable to whatever you like in your granola.  Have fun experimenting!

You can add in nuts, dried fruit, seeds, coconut, or whatever else you think would taste good.

Tip: I have found that different brands of oats change the flavor of the granola significantly. I like the Quaker rolled oats the best. I get them at Costco. Don’t use quick oats!   Also, available at Costco-dried blue berries, cranberries, olive oil, honey, cinnamon..I buy it in bulk and have it on hand to make whenever we want.

For more protein add quinoa.

I add chia seeds, flax seed, pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds (Most all of these are available at Costco).

I love sharing this with my exercise friends after we work out together.

What’s your favorite post-exercise snack?

xoxo

PS: Interested in trying essential oils? Check out this month’s special deal from Young Living – you’ll love what essential oils can do for you. This month’s special deal includes not just essential oils, but also complete how-to information to make sure you’re getting the most from your essential oils! Check out more details here.