‘Brain-Loving’ Walnut & Blueberry Granola

Granola.. how I love you.
I decided to get creative and whip up a batch of ‘brain-loving’ granola for breakfasts over the next few weeks. This batch of granola turned out delicious! It includes some brain-nourishing ingredients like walnuts, blueberries, pumpkin seeds & coconut oil. Give it a try for yourself!

Did you know: Walnuts are known for their brain support due to their high amounts of DHA (a type of omega-3 fatty acid). GlowingHolistic Tip: Soak them in h2o for a few hours before adding them to smoothies. It’s a great way to add them into your diet. Plus – they are high in the good fats so they can help you feel full for longer. Why are pumpkin seeds so amazing for you and your brain? They are loaded with those good-for-you omega 3 & 6 fatty acids and they also contain magnesium which can have a calming effect on your brain. Eat up! Get your daily blueberries in! I always prefer fresh blueberries vs dried. However, in granola, dried works best (ha-ha). Blueberries are amazing for brain support due to the high amounts of antioxidants in them. They are known to help protect our brains from degeneration and oxidative stress. GlowingHolistic Tip: Buy organic berries as much as possible as they are VERY heavily sprayed with toxic chemicals.

‘Brain-Loving’ Walnut, Blueberry & Pumpkin Seed Granola

3.5 cups rolled oats
1 cup walnuts
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sesame seeds
3 tbsp hemp hearts
1/4 cup dried blueberries
1/2 cup dried cherries
3/4 cup hardened coconut oil
1/2 cup honey
1/2 tsp sea salt (more if needed)
A few drops of vanilla extract (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine: rolled oats, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and hemp hearts and mix to combine. Set aside.
3. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add in coconut oil, honey, sea salt and vanilla (vanilla is optional) and whisk together until melted and combined. Remove from heat.
4. Pour liquid over the oats and nut mixture. Stir until combined. I usually use my hands to mix it all up together, I find this works best for making sure everything is fully mixed- just make sure you don’t burn your hands!
5. Place parchment paper on a baking pan and pour granola mixture onto it, flattening it out evenly. If you put oil on your fingers, this makes it easier to flatten the mixture.
6. Bake for 40-45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent burning (VERY important- I can’t tell you how many times I have had to throw out an entire batch of granola because I forgot about it and DIDN’T stir it! Ha-ha).
7. Once done, pull out of oven and let cool on something away from the heat. If you let it cool longer, the better chance you have of creating those delicious “chunky” parts of the granola.
8. Once completely cooled, break up as much of it as you want and place in a large bowl. Mix in the dried blueberries and cherries and mix up with a spoon. Place granola in sealed containers and store in pantry.

Marcy xo