Photo credit Kim Hall
In my paperback copy of Angela Liddon’s Oh She Glows Every Day cookbook, in the margins next to “Vanilla Super-Seed Granola with Coconut Chips” recipe is “9/28/18, Amazing.” I've eaten some permutation of this recipe most days since then. Having made countless granola recipes in my life (thank you hippy parents), this surpasses them all. In my daily life it’s complemented by a tangy dollop of goat milk yogurt and occasional luxury of seasonal berries. In the backcountry, it’s my go-to for alpine start mornings with powdered coconut milk.
The key to this recipe is ease – use what you have in your pantry! If you don’t have maple syrup, use honey. No sunflower seed butter? Try almond. Feel free to use different nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.).
Below is my favorite adaptation so far. I make a large batch so it can last several weeks, so cut it in half if you’re timid, like smaller portions, or eat a more varied breakfast diet. This yields about 5-6 quarts.
5 c. unsweetened coconut (my favorite is ½ shredded coconut, ½ large flakes)
4 c. (gluten-free) rolled oats
1 ½ c. raw pumpkin seeds
½ c sunflower seeds
1 T. ground cinnamon
1-2 t. fine sea salt.
3/4 c. melted coconut oil
2/3 c maple syrup (I like to substitute half with brown rice syrup to yield larger clumps of granola. Is it really granola without clumps?)
½ c. sunflower seed butter
1 T. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 300F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (easy cleanup).
In a large bowl, combine coconut, oats, seeds, cinnamon, and salt.
In a small saucepan, melt coconut oil. Whisk in the sweetener, (maple syrup, honey, and or brown-rice syrup) sunflower seed butter, and vanilla until well-blended.
Pour syrupy mixture over dry mixture and mix well with a wooden spoon or hands.
Spoon/pour granola mixture onto baking sheets in nice even layer.
Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and stir. Then bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until it’s just starting to turn golden around the edges. It will harden as it cools.
If you want to add dried fruit (figs or cherries are delicious), add after removing from the oven. If you add them before baking, they’ll blow up and burn.
Photo credit (L): Linda Williamson
Whether it's the snacks packed for long days on a climb or the anticipation of the delicious meal that awaits at the trailhead, we know that food is a great motivator. We feel it is important to provide a space where we can share and collect food inspiration for all aspects of a life spent outdoors. This is a place where we can share information on what food to bring on adventures, what we dream about when we’ve run out of food in the backcountry, foods used to fuel a training program, and simple recipes for life on the road.
We offer nutrition information from experts, creative vagabonds, and adventurers seeking personal health and the health of our planet. We hope this information inspires simple, healthy cooking. We encourage folks to go light in the backcountry and light on our environment. We welcome your input and would love your insight. Send your suggestions, ideas, and recipes to broadbeta@gmail.com.
Note that the stories, recipes and experiences we share are not necessarily endorsements by Broad Beta. Rather, they are expressions of each author’s personal journey and reflection.
Photo credit (L to R): Laurence Parent (x3), Cat Coe
