Healthy Cooking Class - Dr. Bailey’s Oat, Seed and Nut, Vegan Granola
Start Your Day with a Healthy, New Recipe
My husband eats this yummy, vegan granola for breakfast every day. He tops it with fresh fruit and a scoop of yogurt; he’s starting his day with a nutrient-dense meal that’s also great for digestive health and his gut microbiome.
This granola is gluten-free if you use oats that have not been contaminated with gluten-containing grains (wheat, barley or rye). It’s also low fat and low glycemic.
The ingredients give you:
- Plant-based protein;
- Fiber for intestinal health and to promote a healthy gut microbiome;
- Essential fatty acids such as anti-inflammatory omega 3s;
- Vitamins like A, B, D and E;
- Minerals including calcium for bones and zinc for acne, among others; and
- A great dose of antioxidants, too.
And it's delicious!
I create it from a "dry" mixture of oats, nuts, seeds, and coconut (optional). I combine this with a "wet" mixture of oil and a natural sweetener. I bake it in the oven until it’s golden and toasty.
Mix and match what you put into this granola based on what you like and what’s in your pantry. By making your own granola, you avoid all the sugar found in commercially-made granola.
Read the labels! I bet you’ll see cane sugar right up at the top! Yep, and lots of other bulk fluff. Make your own, load it with nutrient-dense ingredients, and avoid cane sugar all together. It’s still delicious, and it’s also a bonanza of good health in every bite!
You can customize this to your taste. To create the "dry" component, I mix oats with other dry ingredients like:
- Nuts: sliced or slivered almonds, pecan, hazelnut (or walnut) pieces;
- Seeds: buckwheat, sesame, chia, hemp, pumpkin or sunflower; and
- Dried coconut (unsweetened). Size is based on your taste.
I mix them with "wet" ingredients that are a blend of oil and a natural sweetener.
- Coconut oil (or oil of your choice like Earth Balance or canola – not olive oil!);
- Maple syrup (honey if vegan is not a goal, or agave for even lower glycemic index); and
- Salt to taste.
Tips from years of experience:
- To keep the granola crunchy and toasty, I don’t add anything that holds moisture, like raisins or other dried fruit.
- When you are buying seeds, look for ones that have been "sprouted." They may be more expensive, but sprouting involves soaking the seeds in water, and this reduces a component in seeds called phytic acid. Phytic acid binds to some nutrients, such as minerals, preventing your body from absorbing them. Reducing phytic acid also helps your gut digest seeds better so you get all their nutritional goodness.
- Finally, whether you buy sprouted or not, always check nuts and seeds for rancidity by giving it the sniff test!
My ratio of wet-to-dry ingredients is about 5-7 cups of dry to ½ to 1 cup of wet; the "wet" includes a combination of oil and natural sweetener in about a 1:1 ration.
In the recipe below and the video, you will see that I made a huge batch because the granola keeps well when stored in airtight jars. Once you figure out your favorite flavor combo and level of toastiness, I recommend making a lot at once.
Dr. Bailey’s Vegan Oat, Seed and Nut Granola
Makes about 28 cups!
To prepare the dry ingredients, mix together in a large bowl:
- About 12 cups of oats
- 2 cup of each:
- pumpkin seeds
- sunflower seeds
- sesame seeds
- sliced almonds
- chopped pecans
- buckwheat
- About 3 cups of shredded coconut
- About 1 cup each:
- chia seeds
- hemp seeds
To prepare the wet ingredients:
- 1 cup coconut oil
- 1 cup of maple syrup
- Salt to your taste
Melt the coconut oil in a microwave or on the stove until just barely melted and stir in the maple syrup. Add salt to the "wet" mixture and mix well
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry mixture until well-blended and all the dry ingredients are slightly damp but not soggy.
Place your mixture in a large baking pan and then into a preheated oven at 325 degrees. Stir and turn often until golden brown. It takes about 30-60 minutes or so depending on your oven, the weather, how thickly you layered the granola in the pan, and if a pan is on the top or the bottom shelf.
Keep an eye on things, this is precious stuff! Remove sheets from the oven when they reach the desired toastiness for your taste buds. Cool entirely. Store in airtight jars.
Enjoy!