Crazy for Coconut Week: Recipe II & III (Granola & Protein Bars)

Granola has recently become one of my favorite snacks. It's perfect as a topping to yogurt or just munching on by itself. And I love how the house smells as it bakes until golden. I've been experimenting with adding different dried fruits, nuts, seeds, etc. to it and you really can't go wrong with whatever you have on hand. So as a part of Crazy for Coconut week, here are some coconut granola recipes for you to try:

Coconut Granola

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 Tbsp. canola oil

2 1/2 Tbsp. honey

1/2 tsp. coconut extract, or vanilla extract

2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar

1/2 cup shredded coconut

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and coat baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Whisk together canola oil, honey, brown sugar, and coconut extract. Continue whisking until ingredients are combined.

3. Add oats to the honey mixture. 

4. Spread mixture evenly onto baking sheet.

5. Bake for about 12 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until golden.

6. Stir in coconut.

Protein Granola Bars

Recipe adapted from My New Roots blog

My hemp protein granola

You can use this recipe to make either protein bars or granola with slight variations. 

Main Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup almonds, chopped

1 1/2 cups raisins + Craisin mix (or any dried fruit)

1 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup hemp protein powder

1/2 cup sesame seeds

Chocolate chips (optional) - stir in as many as you want

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

Option 1: Protein Bars

      Use ingredients above, plus:

3 ripe bananas 

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 Tbsp. maple syrup

Option 2: Granola

      Use ingredients above, plus:

3/4 cup applesauce

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 Tbsp. maple syrup

Directions:

Option 1: Protein Bars

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
3. In a food processor or blender, mix bananas, oil, vanilla, and maple syrup (or mash everything together with a fork). 
4. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
5. Spread the batter evenly into a baking pan (9'' x 11''), and smooth out the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until edges are golden. Let cool completely and store in airtight container in refrigerator. Or these can be frozen.

Option 2: Granola

1. Follow steps 1-2 above.
2. Mix together applesauce, oil, vanilla extract, and maple syrup.
3. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients.
4. Spread batter evenly into baking pan and smooth out top. Bake for 20 minutes (or until starting to golden), stirring halfway through.