My friend Diane first made this granola when my son Joshua was born. This New Moms Granola made it just a little easier to get up for those midight feedings. Wholesome, robust, nutty, just a little sweet (but not too sweet), the only problem with this granola was how fast the rest of the family ate it!
Now I make Diane's granola every time I bring a meal to a family with a newborn family - that's why I call it New Moms Granola. I remember how loved and special Diane made me feel with this little treat. I want that for every mother struggling through exhaustion, post-partum hormones, and helping older kids adjust to new siblings.
FAQ
Is this a healthy granola recipe?
Healthy is one of those words that means something different to everyone. Is it low calorie? Not particularly, considering the proportion of nuts in it. However! It is full of whole grains, fiber, and a reasonable amount of protein. If you eat it by the handful, you'll probably eat more calories than you realize. If you eat it by the measured cupful or as a topping on berries or yogurt, it's an amazing and delicious
I've tried making granola before and it burned. Any tips?
This is an easy recipe, but you do have to watch it for the last few minutes in the oven. It can start to catch on the edges of the pan. The really key thing to remember is that it will come out of the oven still a little moist and soft. Look for a golden color and as soon as it gets dark around the edges of the pan, take it out and don't put it back in! The crunchy crispy texture you want will be achieved as it cools in the pan, undisturbed.
What stir-ins should I add to my granola?
The options are endless. The most traditional is dried fruit. If you do this, I'd cut down the fruit pieces to roughly the size of the oats. Something as sweet as dried fruit could overwhelm the granola.
I personally love chocolate chips mixed in, although that may slightly affect my answer to the question about granola being healthy 😉
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Recipe
The BEST Coconut Almond Granola
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Oats (NOT instant!)
- 3/4 cup Brown sugar (Use up to a cup if you’d like more sweetness)
- 1 cup Shredded coconut (more or less is fine, sweetened or unsweetened)
- 1 cup sliced or chopped Almonds
- 1 cup chopped Pecans, sunflower seeds, or more almonds
- 2 cups crushed Cornflakes
- 1/4 cup Wheat germ
- 1/4 cup Flaxseed meal
- 1/4 cup Honey
- 2 tablespoon Molasses
- 1 stick Butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In really large bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients and stir (you may want to use your hands to work the brown sugar clumps through.)
- Melt next 3 ingredients (honey, molasses, and butter) over stove and then pour over oat mixture and mix well.
- Add ¼ -½ cups of water into the pan you melted the honey/butter/molasses in, swirl, then pour into granola. Work through until moistened but not wet.
- Spread and pat down in 2 lightly sprayed or greased baking sheets and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, stirring well halfway through.
- After baking, leave undisturbed in baking sheets until completely cooled. (Note: The granola will not seem crispy enough when you remove it from the oven. This will be achieved through the cooling. Be careful not to burn the granola.)
- Remove from pans with spatula. At this point, you can stir in raisins, other dried fruit, or even mini chocolate chips.
- This granola stores and freezes well.
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