SEASHELL NELL

This is my Camino. Welcome.

Carrot cake granola!

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Oh friends.

And friends and friends.

I went. I went on retreat. It was lovely.

Sometimes I’ll be somewhere and I’ll realize: this is exactly right. I’m exactly myself, exactly where I need to be. Marytown (the retreat center) is one of those places.

Thank you for your prayers while I was away.

AND NOW I’M BACK.

Real talk: I need to save this recipe somewhere more fitting/lasting than a rip-off sheet of yellow paper.
Real talk: I need to save this recipe somewhere more fitting/lasting than a rip-off sheet of yellow paper.

Here’s some carrot cake granola, made up using the internet and my kitchen experience and (most importantly) my love for my people.

It needs to be shared that sometime in the last year I apparently became a hippie. No Christmas cookies this year for anyone–only granola. Sorry, not sorry. πŸ™‚ And, it was well-received. I think that people feel good about sprinkling healthy decisions in with the decadent.

Today is a snow day here, too, so I thought the timing was good for posting. Heat up the oven on cold days, right?

To start, I have no “gather your ingredients” photo. Only all of the “dry” ingredients in a Polish bowl.

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This will be like I-Spy. Can you spy with your little eye: three cups of oats, two shredded carrots, two tablespoons of hemp seeds (ha! another win for my inner-hippie!), two tablespoons of uncooked quinoa, one cup of coconut, one cup of slivered almonds?

Yes? Good work!

Also in there: one cup of roasted sunflower seeds.

I don’t know why I never tried roasted sunflower seeds before. They are slightly magical in everything: try some in spinach salad…ay yi yi levels of yum!

So then mix all of those things together.
So then mix all of those things together.
You'll want to add sweetner, too. Since I like sweet-ish granola, I used 1/4 each of agave, moasses (so much iron!) and real-life maple syrup.
You’ll want to add sweetner, too. Since I like sweet-ish granola, I used 1/4 each of agave, moasses (so much iron!) and real-life maple syrup.

A few weeks ago Lauren left me a voicemail saying, “What can you tell me about coconut oil?”

But, I could tell her nothing because I had no experience in the matter.

But the voicemail prompted me to get my natural-game on, so I did but some. And I added it to this recipe. Two tablespoons, melted slowly in an heirloom pot over an outdoor fire comprised of birch (important, only birch will work) wood the microwave.

Coconut oil. In an ice cream dish. I'm so professional. Cough.
Coconut oil. In an ice cream dish. I’m so professional. Cough.

Three more things and you’re done!
1. The white of an egg, beaten until there are bubbles (this is called “frothy”)
2. A few shakes of salt
3. One teaspoon of spice. I used pumpkin pie spice since it’s probably my best friend. But, you could also use plain cinnamon. Tried and true.

We have pink salt. This was supposed to be an artsy pic. Oops.
We have pink salt. You could use your favorite color-version of salt!

Once everything is nicely stirred, spread it out on a baking sheet (parchment paper is nice!) and bake at 300 for 45-60 min.

(Please note: I doubled the recipe--one with gluten-free oats, one without--which is why I have two-baking-trays-worth).
(Please note: I doubled the recipe–one with gluten-free oats, one without–which is why I have two-baking-trays-worth).

Stir it about around the 30 min mark, just to make sure everything bakes well/ nothing burns.

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And, when you’re done, you can add raisins and butterscotch chips, like me, or you can eat it as-is!

Om nom nom. πŸ™‚

I packed these in sweet little bags…and took zero photos. So, use the cute side of your brain to imagine them.

But, you can use your taste buds to taste if you make some for yourself (or to share!) today.

Carrot cake granola
Ingredients Serves 6-8
3 cups of oats (I used gluten-free)
2 carrots, shredded
2 tablespoons of hemp seeds (optional)
2 tablespoons of uncooked quinoa (also optional. Be free!)
1 cup of coconut
1 cup of slivered almonds
1 cup of sunflower seeds (I recommend roasted)

1/4 cup agave syrup (if you sub honey, I need a full report)
1/4 cup molasses (iron!)
1/4 cup real maple syrup
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
1 egg white, beaten until frothy
1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon of salt
Love for your friends
Instructions:
  • Preheat your oven to 300 degrees, and line your baking sheets with parchment paper if you’re in a parchment paper/ easy-cleaning kind of mode.
  • In a large bowl, mix the oats, carrots, hemp, quinoa, sunflower seeds, coconut, and almonds. Add some love at this step, too.
  • Stir the agave syrup, molasses and maple syrup together before pouring them into your dry ingredients and mixing them all together.
  • Melt the coconut oil and mix it in as well.
  • Beat an egg white until frothy, add to the mixture.
  • Add salt, spice, and remaining love, then mix.
  • Pour the granola onto the baking sheets, spreading the granola apart with a spatula.
  • Bake for 45-60 minute, stirring the mixture at the 30 minute mark.
  • Take it out and let it cool. If you’re feeling fancy, you could add raisins and butterscotch chips for extra-yum (I have a feeling white chocolate chips might be yummy, too!)
Ta da!
Ta da!

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