Are you ready to lecture me? I’m not a breakfast person. I never have been. As a kid my mom used to beg me to eat breakfast. I just wasn’t into it. Most days I’m not hungry in the morning. I’d much rather eat brunch than breakfast. A high protein meal around 11:00 is perfect for me. Breakfast has to be REALLY good for me to want to eat it. Yes I know… breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I’m trying really hard to get into the habit of eating every morning. I decided to make myself something really good to incentivize me. The result? My Cranberry Pumpkin Seed Granola Recipe.
Friends, this granola is worth eating breakfast for.
I’ve played around with making granola in the past, but this granola recipe is the real deal. Packed full of protein from hemp heart, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, with a hint of coconut from the coconut oil and flaked coconut and a burst of sweetness from the craisins that you soak in water to plump up first. It’s yummers. So yummers that I’m sharing the recipe with you. Trust me, you’ll love it.
Cranberry Pumpkin Seed Granola Recipe with Hemp Hearts, Sunflower Seeds and Coconut Oil
Ingredients:
-4 cups of rolled oats
-1 cup of dried cranberries (soaked in hot water for 15 minutes then drained)
-1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds
-1/2 cup of sunflower seeds
-1/2 cup of hemp hearts (I love Manitoba Harvest hemp hearts and eat them with just about everything- yogurt, salads, with cereal. It’s a yummy way to add a punch of protein.)
-1/2 cup of unsweetened flaked coconut
-1/2 cup of honey
-1/2 cup of coconut sugar
-1/4 cup of coconut oil
-2 teaspoons of cinnamon
-1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
-1/2 teaspoon of salt
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 250F.
- Put craisins in a heat safe bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 15 minutes then drain and set aside.
- In a saucepan combine brown sugar, honey, vanilla and coconut oil. Heat on medium heat and stir until all ingredients are melted and combined. Take off heat and set aside
- In a bowl combine oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp hearts, flaked coconut, cinnamon and salt. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated.
- Pour brown sugar, coconut oil & honey mixture over oats and other ingredients. Toss until all ingredients are covered in liquid. Add craisins and give one last stir.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and then put granola mixture on top. Press down so you have an even layer across the baking sheet.
- Put in oven for 1 hour or until granola is lightly golden tossing every 15-20 minutes. Your granola will still feel soft when you take it out of the oven but will crisp up once it has cooled.
- Set tray on a baking rack to cool.
- Serve and enjoy. Store leftovers in an airtight container or a ziplock bag.
Like this recipe? Check out our our Cast Iron Baking posts for more great breakfast ideas.
OH YUMMM!! this granola looks better than anything i could get in the grocery store, and the ingredients are awesome! I will have to pick up some hemp hearts and try this 🙂