‘Tis the season – granola time again. Granola is an easy, crunchy, tasty, and delicious addition to your snack and breakfast repetoire. One batch requires minimal work, makes a good amount, and is pretty much foolproof (provided you don’t burn it in the oven).

And the customization options are endless! This particular granola is a sweet blend of apple cider, coconut oil, and maple syrup mixed with nuts, seeds, oats, and quinoa. Then, dried fruit including dried apple rings are stirred in at the end. And that’s pretty much it!

I’ve taken to eating this at work as a snack. I bring my almond milk in a separate container, and then add to my granola mix (with some chia seeds thrown in for good nutritional measure) and look out, I’m eating cereal at my desk.

The quinoa is a particularly nice addition, in part because quinoa is a wonderful source of protein and minerals (it is a superfood, after all) but also because it just looks really pretty. It gives the granola this extra texture and eye appeal, and eating beautiful foods is important too when we think about nourishment from a holistic perspective.

This granola also makes a lovely gift. Store it in mason jars, tie with a bow using some twine or natural string, and you have a beautiful gift for a dinner party, for your friends who are constantly asking you why you don’t bring them granola gifts, or for anyone who enjoys a good mix of sweetened toasted grains and nuts with dried fruit (i.e. pretty much everyone, provided they don’t have an allergy to any of the ingredients).

Enjoy the Festive Season!

Apple Cider Quinoa Granola

• Author: Emily Joldersma, R.H.N.
• Recipe Notes: vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, naturally-sweetened

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup apple cider
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 2 cups mixed nuts and seeds (i.e. sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds).
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup dried fruit (apple rings, raisins, dried cranberries, dates, etc).

Instructions:

1. Soak quinoa overnight or for at least one hour in the apple cider. It will absorb most or all of the cider.
2. Preheat oven to 325F.
3. In a large bowl, stir together oats, nuts/seeds, sea salt, and cinnamon.
4. In a saucepan, melt coconut oil over low heat and stir in maple syrup.
5. Pour melted oil/syrup mix over rolled oats and stir well, until everything is coated.
6. Add quinoa/cider mix and again, stir until everything is well mixed.
7. Spread out on a baking sheet and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until granola is dry, lightly browned, and getting crunchy/toasty. Try to stir every 15 minutes or so to keep the moisture circulating and to help release steam.
8. Remove from oven and let cool.
9. Add dried fruits and mix around, and then store in your choice of containers: tupperware, mason jars, your stomach, and so on.

© Eat Well, Live Vibrantly