Banana Bread Granola (Vegan + Gluten-Free!)

And just like that, it's September! Please, oh PLEASE, bring on the fall weather.

If you've peeked at my Twitter or Instagram feeds lately, you know that I can't stop making my banana bread granola! Not only does it make my apartment smell like heaven (and reminds me of the fall!), it's THE perfect on-the-go snack or pre-made breakfast option for those late mornings.

Toss it in a bowl with some almond milk and chow down, or throw it over some greek yogurt or overnights oats for some extra crunch and yummy taste. Heck it would probably even be a delicious topper over frozen yogurt or ice cream.... Gotta try this now, guess I'll have to make another batch!



Are you drooling yet?

If you're a banana bread lover like myself, this granola will make you one happy little camper. And the beauty of this recipe is that you probably have all of these ingredients (or their substitutes) already in your kitchen. It's super delicious, and it's VEGAN and GLUTEN-FREE! Heck yeah! It's crunchy, nutty, tastes-just-like-banana-bread greatness that's packed with healthy fats, Omega-3 & 6, protein and fiber.

Hands down, my favorite healthy recipe to date - and only 30 mins to make! WHOA.

Here's the ingredients and step-by-step instructions:

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups rolled oats (I use Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats)
• 3/4 cup walnuts (sometimes I'll put a little more or less depending on what I'm feeling)
• 1/2 pecans 
• 1-1/2 tbsp raw sugar
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp flax seed
• 1/4 cup organic coconut oil
• 1/3 cup agave, maple syrup or honey (whichever you prefer)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 medium ripe banana, mashed (about 1/2 cup)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix your oats, cinnamon, sugar, sea salt, flax seed, walnuts and pecans in a large bowl.
3. In a small saucepan (medium heat!), warm up your coconut oil, vanilla extract and agave (or maple syrup or honey). Once combined and liquid consistency, remove from heat and stir in mashed banana until well combined. Then, pour the mixture over all of the dry ingredients and stir well.
4. Spread the granola mixture evenly onto a baking pan and bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Make sure to watch the edges, they can brown quickly from the coconut oil! *If you don't toss the granola while baking, it will be clumpier (my favorite). But, if you want it to be crumbly, just toss every once and a while during baking. 
5. Once the granola has browned, remove it from the oven and toss to remove hear/un-stick from the pan. Let it cool completely and store in a container with air-tight seal - it should stay fresh for a couple of weeks! WOO!

That's it, my friends! Super easy and absolutely scrumptious. Your friends, roommate, family, and co-workers will thank you if they ever get to try this stuff - if you're like me, you might just eat it all before they have the chance....

As an added bonus, I've linked some of the ingredients and my dishes below here for you! Let's get cooking!

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Have a lovely day!
xx,
B