No refined sugar — its sweetness comes from bananas and dates!
Tip: Adjust the baking time based on how crunchy or chewy you like your granola. The longer you leave it in the oven, the harder it will get. Delicious in a bowl with almond milk and fresh fruit.
- 8 cups organic rolled oats
- ¼ cup each of the following (or substitute your nut/seed/dried fruit preferences): chopped pecans, pumpkin seeds, raisins, slivered almonds
- 2 cups pitted and chopped Medjool dates
- 2 ripe bananas, peeled and chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract (or ½ teaspoon of each)
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon of sea salt (plus more, to taste)
- Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add oats, pecans, pumpkin seeds, raisins, and slivered almonds (or whatever nuts/seeds/dried fruit you've chosen) to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Place dates and cup of water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes. Stir frequently and add more water as necessary to keep dates from sticking to saucepan.
- When dates have become a paste, add them along with the bananas and vanilla or almond extract to a blender and process until smooth.
- Pour the date mixture over the oat mixture and mix everything well. Divide the granola between the two baking sheets, spreading evenly in the pans.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the granola is crispy (the granola will get crispier as it cools). Store in an airtight container.