After making the Maple Nut Granola
a couple of times and thoroughly enjoying every morsel I thought it was high time I created a new recipe. I absolutely LOVE the taste of ginger! Combine the zippy zing of ginger with cranberries and we have match made in joyous heaven.
[highlightbox title="Ginger has incredible health benefits:"]
Potent anti-inflammatory = LESS pain. Ginger contains potent anti-inflammatory chemicals called gingerols. Many people with arthritic conditions report reductions in their pain levels and improvements in their mobility when they consume ginger regularly.
Cancer prevention. These same gingerols have been found to inhibit cancer formation, specifically in studies on ovarian and colorectal cancer.
Metabolic boost. Ginger promotes heat in the body which helps to induce sweating. Sweating gives your metabolism a boost and enhances detoxification via the sweat glands. [/highlightbox]
And ginger is only one of many note-worthy ingredients. Cranberries, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, organic oats, coconut flakes plus more make this a superfood bowl of goodness.
You can enjoy this with sheep's milk yogurt like I did or coconut yogurt for a non-dairy option.
[img link=http://www.joyoushealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Granola_Close.jpg]
I love the comfort of a bowl of granola on a fall morning. It sticks to your ribs (but not your belly, hips and thighs thanks to the high fiber content) and warms you from the inside out. It's also super yummy to nibble on mid-afternoon when you feel like something crunchy and sweet.
While I'm on the topic of crunchy, did you know that eating foods that have a crunch enhances digestion?
When you crunch something, this triggers your brain to message to your belly to start producing gastric acids to aid digestion. This is why I'm not a fan of drinking your meals. Once in a while is okay.. for example, I love a smoothie, but I don't consume smoothies for more than 1 meal per day and I also don't recommend them every single day unless you have a lot of gut inflammation you are dealing with. If you were someone with lots of inflammation then switching to only smoothies and pureed soups can be highly beneficial but it's not a lifelong consequence of a sensitive tummy.
Breakfast & Brunch
Cranberry Ginger Granola
Print
Ingredients
- Makes about 7 cups granola
- 5 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup raw walnuts
- 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (unsulfured)
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp ground ginger
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a large bowl, toss oats, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes, dried cranberries, ginger, cinnamon and coconut sugar together and set aside. Pour maple syrup and coconut oil over the oat mixture and stir until well saturated. Feel free to give it a taste test and add more coconut oil or maple syrup to taste.
- Spread the oats on a parchment lined baking sheet and cook for 30 minutes, stirring mixture every 10 minutes until oats are nice & golden. Let granola cool and transfer to an airtight container, preferably a glass mason jar.
Notes
The digestibility of the oats will be increased if you soak them for a few hours first. Soaking neutralizes any enzyme inhibitors. Just keep in mind you will likely need to bake them for double the time if you soak them first.
This recipe makes a decent amount. I filled up 2 large mason jars with the finished product. It was so toasty, sweet (but not too sweet) and just plain wonderful!
Looks amazing! Can't wait to try it :))
ReplyI made this last night and it is delicious! The only thing is I wasn't sure if mine was done so I left it in a bit longer than it says and it got quite toasted on the edges. But it's still excellent! Next time I make it I'll trust the 30 minute mark :)
ReplyGlad it was still tasty even if it got a little extra toasty, Katrina! Kate - Joyous Health Team
Here I am in Northern Ireland and I am going to make this granola because it looks like it would taste divine and it looks simple to make and I have all the ingredients.
ReplyWhat can I use instead of the coconut flakes? I really dislike coconut and don't keep any in the pantry.
ReplyHi Sarah, You can replace the coconut flakes with an extra 1/2 cup of whichever of the granola nut or seed ingredients is your fave. Kate - Joyous Health Team
Does ground ginger (I'm assuming the kind that you'd find with all the other jarred spices in the grocery store) have the same nutritional benefits as fresh ginger? Could you microplane the same amount of fresh ginger or would that not roast very well? Thanks!
ReplyHi Erin, If you buy good quality non-irradiated (organic) ground ginger, you're still going to get most of the nutritional benefits. The reason we didn't use fresh ginger for this recipe is that the flavour would have been way to overpowering. Kate - Joyous Health Team
HI, can quick oats be used for this recipe?
ReplyHi Isabelle, Sure! Quick oats should be fine here. Kate - Joyous Health Team
Just wondering about the salt at the bottom of the list of ingredients. It's never mentioned in the method. Does it have a purpose?
ReplyOh yes, include the salt in the mixture. Thanks for catching this!
your website is absolutely the best to date, its so interesting, im turning 60 march 2nd, my health isnt great, my lower back and both legs are filled with arthritis, ive got chronic pain, 6 yrs without 1 day with no pain, so you can imagine what ive been eating, cereal, its easy, i cant stand too long, so a bowl of cereal is my comfort food, actually my only food, but i do eat alot of sunflower seeds, pumpkin,almonds,pistachios, some banana chips, few raisins, cashews, but ive got a brand new blender,ive never used, sometimes i wish i had someone come and make me some dinners or lunch, but thats not possible, but im writing down some of your recipes, they do all sound wondeful, thank god for you, im ok with using 1 site then its not so overwhelming, i can always find something on your site i like, thanks
ReplyHi Barbara, So happy we can be of help! Kate - Joyous Health Team
This is DELICIOUS!!! My one tweak, I toast the nuts BEFORE I put into mix and bake. Makes it very toasty/tasty. :-) Quick question, if I do up a monster batch, how long will it keep? In baggies or tupperware in frig?? Freezer? Thank you so much!!
ReplyHey Dudley, In the freezer it should be fine for a couple months, however keep in mind that the texture might change. In the fridge, it would probably be good (and most delicious) for 2-3 weeks :) Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Can you use hazelnuts instead of walnuts
ReplyYes definitely! That sounds like a delicious substitution.