Can you believe there are only 4 days left until Christmas?! I feel both ready and completely unprepared at the same time. All of my shopping is done, but I still need to wrap everything and make food for upcoming parties on Christmas Eve and Christmas day.
I have always had a sweet tooth, but I will admit that I have definitely been indulging in sweets more frequently during my pregnancy than I normally would. I’m trying to curb it a bit by satisfying my sweet tooth with healthier, less sugary options. One of the things I have been doing is making home-made granola to put on top of plain yogurt or to eat on its own or with almond milk. It’s just sweet enough and you can make so many different varieties that you won’t get bored of it (at least, I’m not!).
In the name of being festive, I decided to make a Holiday Spice Granola. It’s essentially Gingerbread flavored with dried cranberries mixed in for some added color, flavor, and texture. I have been bringing it to work as a mid-morning snack, and it’s been keeping me away from all of the sweets in the faculty room (although I couldn’t resist grabbing a few of the Philadelphia Pretzel bites that were there yesterday…).
This Holiday Spice Granola also makes a great gift. Just pour some into a mason jar and tie a ribbon around the lid and you are good to go! I know I’ll be making this granola all winter long. If you make this recipe, let me know by leaving a comment below. Also– be sure to follow Busy Girl Healthy World on Instagram for more healthy recipe inspiration!
Active Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 14-16 servings
Ingredients:
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted 1/3 cup pure maple syrup 2 tablespoons molasses 3 cups oats (use gluten free, if desired) 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1 teaspoon cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon ginger 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg pinch of salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, wisk the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and molasses until combined. Add the oats, nuts, and spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt) and stir until the oats look coated. Turn the oat mixture out onto a large baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes (I do not flip my granola at all during cooking). Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle in the dried cranberries. Store Holiday Spice Granola in a large, air-tight container or mason jars.
Nutrition Information per serving (about 1/4 cup granola):
Calories: 173 Fat: 10g Carbs: 20g Protein: 3g Sodium: 10mg Sugar: 8g
*Nutrition information is based on the products I used personally in this recipe. Different products may yield slightly different information.
