goji granola from good clean food

Granola has become one of the many dishes that I batch cook on a Sunday and lean on for quick meal assembly throughout the week. It is super easy to make, very adaptable depending on what is in your pantry, and can serve as a tasty snack, or as a yogurt, smoothie bowl, or oatmeal topper. Granola is one of those things that has healthy connotations but, more often then not, it is loaded with tons of sugar and other additives that tip its integrity from virtuous to vice. This goji granola, on the other hand, is full of clean protein from nuts and seeds, fiber from rolled oats, and antioxidants from the mighty goji berry.

This goji granola recipe comes from the queen of clean, Lily Kunin, and her new cookbook Good Clean Food. Lily makes colorful, clean, plant-based eating simple and enticing. There were many recipes calling to me from this book, but the granola was first on my "to-make" list. This recipe helped me master the infamous granola cluster technique, something I have been trying to do for some time. No big surprises that the key is to not toss the granola, but to simply rotate the sheet tray. To avoid burnt bits, be sure to keep a close eye on the granola toward the last 5 minutes of baking, and veer slightly on the lighter side of golden brown. The residual heat from the sheet pan will continue to cook the granola once it is removed from the oven.

Goji Granola 

Recipe reprinted from Lily Kunin's Good Clean Food

makes 6 cups

• 3 cups gluten-free rolled oats
• 1/2 cup raw sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup raw unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup raw pecans, chopped (or walnuts)
• 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or pink salt
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup goji berries

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, coconut flakes, pecans, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Pour the wet mixture over the oats and mix well,
3. Spread out the granola mixture evenly on the baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Halfway through, turn the pan around, but do not toss the granola.
4. Let the granola cool completely. Sprinkle the goji berries over it and break into large clusters. Store the granola in an airtight container on the countertop for up to a month. (This lasted 4 days max in my household.)

Thanks, Lily, for the continued inspiration and congrats on your beautiful new book!