My search for super nutritious granola lead to this, my favorite healthy granola recipe. Packed with nutritious grains, nuts and seeds, sweetened with pure maple syrup, and baked with unrefined coconut oil so it cooks up golden and crispy crunchy.

There's a saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. On the days that I eat a healthy breakfast, I can feel how true that is. In addition to feeling satisfied and energized, it also sets the tone for a productive day.

I developed this granola recipe with the goal of maximizing healthy ingredients. And it had to taste great! I’m so happy with the result. It’s the best granola in every way, as far as I'm concerned: packed with heart-healthy oats, nuts and seeds, not too sweet, but just sweet enough, and great crunch factor.

How To Make This Healthy Granola

This recipe takes about ten minutes of hands on time. In less than an hour your homemade granola will be ready to enjoy.

Mix the dry ingredients In a large mixing bowl combine oats, nuts, oat bran, seeds, cinnamon, and salt.
Heat The Wet Ingredients: In a saucepan heat the coconut oil, maple syrup and sugar (if using), until the coconut oil is liquified and the sugar is melted.
Bake: Pour the wet ingredients over the dry, and toss to combine. Spread the mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet. Cook in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes. Toss with a spatula and cook 15-20 minutes longer, until golden.

Homemade granola will keep in an airtight container for two weeks.

Here's what makes this granola so nutritious:

Old Fashioned Oats and Oat Bran: Oats are the foundation of this granola. Old fashioned rolled oats hold their shape when baked and they have a slightly chewy, slightly crunchy texture that's ideal for granola. Oat bran has an even higher concentration of fiber than whole oats. Both oat and oat bran are rich in beta-glucan, a soluble fiber, which has been show to lower total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Nuts: There's a cup and a half of nuts in this granola. Nuts are extra delicious when they're toasted in the oven. They add a lot of great flavor and crunch to this granola and they're super healthy, packed with fiber, protein, vitamins, monounsaturated (good) fats, and minerals. Protein helps you feel full and satisfied for longer.
Super Seeds: Three kinds of vitamin and mineral-rich seeds in this healthy granola: sunflower seeds, flaxseed, and pumpkin seeds. Feel free to substitute your favorite seeds or whatever you have in your pantry.

Cinnamon, salt and Maple Syrup: A little salt goes a long way to brighten up the flavors in this granola. I always put cinnamon in my granola. I love the rich warm taste of cinnamon and how well it complements the nutty flavors. Maple syrup is my favorite natural sweetener but honey would work really well too, if you prefer it, or if that's what you have on hand.
Coconut Oil: I love using unrefined coconut oil for granola. The granola develops a rich golden brown color and crispness. Plus it has a delicious hint of coconut flavor.

Granola add-ins: How do you eat granola? I love mine with yogurt. Eddie has his with almond milk. We sometimes add dried or fresh fruit - whatever we have in house. I especially love it with fresh blueberries or apple juice infused dried cranberries or cherries. Here are some other delicious add-ins that come to mind: toasted coconut, chocolate chips, raisins, dried apricots, sliced bananas, wheat germ, a drizzle of honey or maple syrup...

It's easy to make homemade granola, and I've never found a store bought granola that can compete with homemade.

If you love granola, here are a few more recipes to try:

I store my homemade granola in an airtight container on the kitchen counter. It keeps fresh for two weeks, though it rarely lasts that long.

Here's my favorite healthy granola recipe. If you make this, I hope you'll come back to leave a star rating and a comment. I'd love to know what you think.