Heart Healthy Omega Granola

March 8, 2011 By Leanne Vogel July 21, 2015

I had to pick up a couple of groceries on the way home last night. As I was pulling up to the store there was a sign that said bison steak $5.99/lb. If you know me, you know I LOVE bison. So it should come as no surprise that the minute I stepped foot in the store, I raced to the deli to ask my general meat questions to the butcher.

Is it certified organic?
If not, what farm does it come from?
Is it grass-fed?
Is it grass finished?

Thankfully the bison passed the test! [To learn more about safe meats, check out health benefits of wild game meats and the meat controversy] I picked the juiciest looking package of steaks and dropped it into my basket. Next thing I knew I was at the checkout counter with fresh veg, marinade [made by a local farmer], and my steaks. Boyfriend working late + loads of work waiting at home + fresh amazing ingredients = Leanne date night! I don’t get to treat myself with many dates, [in fact the last time was when I made this] so I was pretty excited to get home and have a relaxing, stress free evening. I got home, marinaded the steaks for an hour while I packed my lunch for today, walked the dogs, and had a shower. I popped the steaks in the oven on broil, made a mean lemon dill dip for my veggies [I will undoubtedly be posting this recipe in the coming days], and enjoyed my dinner in silence at the kitchen table. Until Pebbles ran up to Lexy and and bit her tail, then it wasn’t so silent. It was good while it lasted!

On with the eats…

This granola is amazing if I do say so myself. When I make it again I think I’ll replace the apricots with raisins and increase the cinnamon by a teaspoon or two. It’s fantastic as is, but feel free to play around with it too!

Heart Healthy Omega Granola

Author: Leanne Vogel

Recipe type: Vegan, Gluten free, Dairy free, Grain free

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 65 mins

Total time: 1 hour 20 mins

Serves: 4 cups of granola

This crunchy nut based granola is high in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, making it a great addition to a heart healthy or nutrient dense lifestyle.

Ingredients

Dry

1 cup raw walnuts
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw pepitas [pumpkin seed]
½ cup almond flour
½ cup ground flax seed
¼ cup coconut sugar [aka coconut sugar] – brown sugar would work too
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon himalayan rock salt

Wet

¼ cup apple juice
2 tablespoon chia seed
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

Add-ins

you can try chocolate chips, raisins, figs, extra seeds, play around with it!
10 dried apricots, cut into bite-sized pieces
½ cup dried cranberries
8 honey dates, pitted and cut into bite-sized pieces
¼ cup hemp seeds

Instructions

Combine walnuts, almonds, and pepitas in a large glass container. Cover with 2 inches of filtered water and allow to soak overnight.
The next day, place soaked mixture in a strainer, rinse, and shake to dry. Spread on a cutting board and chop the nuts slightly.
Preheat oven to 300F and prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.
Combine wet ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Combine remaining dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add soaked nuts and seeds, making sure to coat each piece in the flour mixture.
Add wet to dry and mix until fully incorporated.
Evenly distribute the mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet.
Bake for 55-65 minutes, rotating the mix every 15 minutes. As soon as the mixture is dry, remove from oven to prevent from burning. It will burn quick! So be careful.
Allow granola to cool before mixing in your add-ins.

View Nutritional Information (once on page scroll down) Nutrition stats [1/4 cup]: calories 266; fat 19g [all good fats!]; saturated fat 3g; carbohydrates 19g; dietary fiber 7g; sugars 10g; protein 10g I’m loving this granola mixed in with my morning soaked chia, as a snack with some carob chips, or mashed with apple sauce! Do you take time out of your hectic schedule to have a date night with yourself? If you were going to have a date night, what types of things would you want to do?

This entry was tagged: granola, omega