.ultimate nutty granola clusters.

this past weekend i finally picked myself up a copy of the new cookbook, oh she glows by angela liddon, that i've been eyeing up for some time. which is funny because it's a total vegan cookbook, although we do eat meat. but what intrigued me most was the healthy and unique recipes in it. and although we do eat quite well in our house, i know my food downfall comes to my snacking habits. 

you know the situation - out and about busy working mom who always has food on hand for her toddler but never anything for herself kinda of situation. and now that i'm carrying these twins and basically always hungry, i feel so guilty when i put quick garbage into my mouth. 

hence, the purchase of this cookbook. to try and build some healthy snacking habits.

and even though i've only had the book for a couple days, i've already made a bunch of delicious recipes and one really stood out! this ultimate nutty granola clusters.

so good, i tell you. add it to your oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies or just eat it as a snack! 

ultimate nutty granola clusters

*i've adapted this recipe to what i had in my pantry, but i included a few notes at the bottom if you want to follow her recipe exact.

ingredients:

*for angela liddon's exact recipe, sub out 1/2 cup of the rolled oats for raw buckwheat groats and use raw pepita seeds instead of the pumpkin seeds.

directions:

1] preheat oven to 275F. line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2] place 1/2 cup of the almonds into a food processor and process for about 10 seconds, until a fine almond meal forms [similar in texture to sand]. transfer the almond meal to a large bowl.

3] in the food processor, combine the remaining 1/2 cup almonds and all of the walnuts and process for about 5 seconds, until finely chopped. you'll be left with some larger pieces and some powdery meal, which is what you want. add the mixture to the bowl with the almond meal.

4] add the oats, dried fruit, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut, cinnamon, and salt to the large mixing bowl and store to combine.

5] add the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla to the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined.

6] with a spatula, spread the granola into a 1/2-inch layer on the prepared baking sheet and gently press down to compact it slightly. bake for 20 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 18 - 25 minutes, or until the granola is lightly golden on the bottom and firm to the touch.

7] cool the granola on the pan for at least 1 hour before breaking apart into clusters. **important! this allows the sugars to harden giving you those lovely clusters rather than a crumbly mess**

8] store the granola in a glass jar in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks or freeze it for 4 to 5 weeks. enjoy!

ps. wouldn't these make such lovely little gifts? just wrap them up in mason jars, throw some ribbon and a tag on it and voila!