If you’re looking for a delicious healthy snack, you NEED to try this homemade granola recipe. I’ve tried a few, and I tweaked this version to perfection. It’s refined-sugar free, made with just a handful of clean ingredients. Easy, healthy, clean – and just a half-hour to make. Perfect for a snack or breakfast! You can also get a free printable gift tag with the recipe if you want to give it as a gift!

Granola… in More Ways Than One

The effects of a pandemic are strange and far-reaching. Besides the imposed isolation, it really makes you feel like you’re seeing and living in your home for the first time. You’re seeing things you’ve never seen before (hello, new dust bunny friends). And you’re doing things you’ve never done before… like baking bread and making apple butter.

It has made me ask more than once just who I am becoming in all this! lol

One recipe, however, that I’ve made before and it’s been a favorite all over again is homemade granola.

But first, how I really got here, making granola and a little bit of the granola lifestyle.

Healthy Eating Can Be SOO Delicious

My road to healthier eating has been an ever-evolving journey. I’ve always been a yo-yo dieter, with Weight Watchers being the plan of choice.

Right before my twin boys turned 2, I really wanted to drop the last 10 lbs. of the baby weight. I accidentally landed on Whole30, which was a completely life-changing experience for me in how I view food (You can read my review of Whole30 here).

From there, I leaned more toward paleo, which only has a few differences from Whole30. Then, we started the process of moving and selling our house.

Well, all bets were off after that, and I’ve been trying to climb my way out of that pit and start back on the healthy eating journey.

Clean Eating is Where It’s At

I tried a few other programs after we moved and finally settled in Tennessee and in our new house. I dabbled with Keto, touched on Trim Healthy Mama. But to be honest, I wasn’t a fan of those plans because they either cut out natural foods and food groups (healthy grains, beans, potatoes, etc) or they allowed for some processed foods, especially sweeteners, which I’m not a fan of.

Last summer, I did the Dollar Challenge for Clean Eating, and that really resonated with me. I just liked the idea of allowing everything God made for us to eat. If He created it for us, then I felt like I should be OK eating it. (This post with 5 basic principles have guided my food journey A LOT. I come back to this post to re-read it all the time, when I need a refresher!)

So as I’m on this clean eating journey, I haven’t stopped eating grains or beans. I (mostly) cut out white flour. I eat brown rice.

But my favorite grain is oats. And I’m just in love with granola.

Easy, Healthy, Clean Homemade Granola Recipe

Granola can be expensive, y’all. As most healthy foods are, right? But homemade granola is super-easy to make.

Today I’m going to share my favorite granola recipe. For the life of me, I can’t remember where I saw this first. I know I tweaked it a little to make it my own, but so I apologize if this is really close to yours!

This recipe is super-easy and refined sugar-free. The maply syrup gives it a fantastic sweet taste along with the coconut oil (you can also sub honey for maple syrup, if you like).

You can also add in other things ingredients you like – nuts, cranberries or raisins, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, seeds, etc. I am simple and I love this recipe just as it is!

This is a perfect snack when you get those later-afternoon cravings. I also love eating it for breakfast – putting it in my yogurt or straight up granola cereal with almond milk.

But let me warn you – this is a delicious recipe and it can be hard to control yourself. It is down-right addicting. I usually store mine out of sight; otherwise, it’s just another healthy woman’s crack.

Granola as a Homemade Food Gift

If you are looking to give a good gift and want to keep it healthy, this is a great choice! I gave this to my sons’ preschool teachers this year!

If you want to do that as well, visit this post that has a free printable gift tag for a food treat gift, along with a tag with the granola recipe right on it! It looks adorable in a jar with the tag attached!

You can use those tags for any food gift also. There’s also a version that says ‘yummy treat’ instead of ‘healthy treat’ if you want to include it with any good gift (homemade or not!)

All right, on with it! Click to see the recipe below!

Easy, Clean, Healty Homemade Granola

Ingredients

3 cups rolled oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Parchment paper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Take all ingredients and mix together in a bowl.
Lay parchment paper on a cookie sheet and spread a single layer of granola
Bake for 25 -30 minutes (give or take). Granola should look lightly toasted.
Remove from oven and let cool. It will continue to set as it cools.
Using a spatula or your fingers, remove granola in chunks that fit your liking. Store in a sealed, air-tight container.

More Healthy Breakfast | Snack Recipes

So easy and so good! If you’re looking for more healthy recipes (with oats and granola), here are two I love:

Dark Chocolate and Coconut Frozen Yogurt Granola Cups

Healthy Yogurt Breakfast Bars

It really doesn’t have to be complicated or hard to eat healthy. Clean eating is just about eating real foods. You’ll feel so much better once you do!

I‘d love to hear about your healthy eating journey. Leave a comment below! And if you try this recipe, I’d love to see! Tag me on Instagram @100affections or leave a comment on Pinterest!