I'm so happy it's spring time finally. I seriously love all the bright flavors of citrus and the beautiful berries that I'm seeing at the store; like these jumbo blueberries that I got this past week. I mean... just look at those suckers! They are the size of two or three whole almonds. Yowza! Some of my favorite spring flavors have to be lemon and blueberry, so naturally I wanted to pair my giant blueberries here with something bright and lemony!
It's been a while since I baked up some granola, so I thought it was high time to make a fun 'Spring' granola that's loaded up with the good stuff. Poppy seeds along with some chia seeds, almonds, and oats. The honey I used for this was a 50/50 blend of honey and stevia; giving me less calories and the same flavor. It's just good all the way around.
This granola is perfectly bright and full of the flavors we know and love in Spring. Plus, the seeds in there give the perfect amount of crunch in each bite. It's simple and so sooo easy to make, so long as you don't leave it in the oven too long and burn it the first time around. I may speak from experience here. Even so, this recipe will give you plenty of granola to use through the week for a quick grab-and-go option for breakfast.
My mom was over this weekend just after I had made this batch of granola. It was sitting out on the counter, and lets just say it didn't make it far past having pictures taken of it. I had to put anything she had leftover from her 'countertop grazing' in a bag and hide it in my pantry so I'd have it for this upcoming week.
That's just how good this stuff is! If you don't keep an eye on it, it will disappear.
There is just enough lemon flavor in here to get the hint of it. It's definitely not overly strong or overwhelmingly lemon. If you want even more of a bright citrus punch, try adding some more zest or even a few drops of lemon essential oil.
I love to pair this granola with some greek yogurt and fresh blueberries, but I have a lot more plans in store for it so you'll have to stay tuned to see what I end up doing! Let's just say some more lemon and blueberries are going to be involved. This granola would also be good used as merely a 'cereal' with some milk over it.
Lemon Poppy Seed Granola
TheSkinnyFork.com
The Skinny:
Servings: 6 • Size: About 1/2 Cup • Calories: 246.8 • Fat: 10.2 g • Saturated Fat: 1 • Carb: 32.6 g • Fiber: 5.2 g • Protein: 7.4 g • Sugar: 9.9 g • Sodium: 0.7 mg
Ingredients:
2 C. Old-Fashioned Oats
1/2 C. Dry Almonds
1/2 Tbsp. Chia Seeds
1/2 Tbsp. Poppy Seeds
1/3 C. 50/50 Honey & Stevia Blend
2 Lemons, Zested
1 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Salt
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with foil. Lightly coat it with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Mix everything together in a large bowl until well combined.
Pour it all out onto the prepared baking sheet and place into the oven to bake for 10 minutes.
Stir it all around on the pan and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or so or until the oats are starting to toast and brown slightly.
Remove the pan from the oven and set aside to cool completely.
As the mixture sits it will harden slightly and become more 'crisp'.
Enjoy however you want!
