It’s starting to smell like the holiday season everywhere, and one of my favorite things to make as part of my pantry items is nutty, cinnamony, homemade granola. It really beats having to buy the boxed, sugar and flour-filled variety once you realize how easy it is to make at home. Plus, the smell of cinnamon in the air is just heavenly!

Granola is really easy to make and chances are you already have most of the ingredient in your kitchen. If you have whole oats, nuts, seeds, spices, and a pure sweetener like honey, then you’re pretty much set! You can experiment with any combination of nuts and seeds that you like… from almonds to pistachios, sunflower to pumpkin, the variety is endless. Here, I’ve used the granola layered in a simple breakfast parfait of unsweetened greek yogurt with pears and a dollop of fig preserves.

With the holidays around the corner, be sure to make a big batch and store them in air-tight mason jars. They will last a couple of weeks and can be given as thoughtful homemade gifts to the foodies in your life.

Also, check out this recipe video I did for a client featuring the granola in a Rice Pudding Parfait with Strawberry Compote.

Happy baking!

P.S Looking for even healthier, energy-packed granola variations, then stay tuned as I’ll be working towards some combinations with flax seeds, chia, and other wholesome super-foods… including some savory ones! :).