Tahini Granola! Yes, I am SO excited to share this new healthy granola recipe with you all because it is SO good. It’s crunchy, vegan, naturally sweetened, and full of good-for-you-ingredients.
So I have a confession to make.
I’m a nut butter addict. Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, you name it and I’ll devour it.
So after a come-to-Jesus moment last year I decided to swear off peanut butter for a month. Then it turned into 2 months, then 3, you get it. Well, it’s been almost a year since I’ve bought a jar of peanut butter and in that time I’ve had less than a shmear of peanut butter (except for a few weekends ago at my parents. They were out of eggs…so back off, I had no choice!).
Now I know it sounds insane, but really, there’s no self-control. Every once in a while I’ll pick up a jar of almond butter and enjoy it for one glorious week … before it’s gone.
Anyway, my ravenous self couldn’t handle it a few weeks ago, and I thought, “to hell with it”, so I grabbed a spoon and scooped up some tahini.
Eh, fine, not crave quenching by any means, it just didn’t do the trick. Then click. It occurred to me, why not sweeten this bad boy up? A nice glug of pure maple syrup and BOOM. The most magical thing happened. I grabbed an apple and had the most amazing snack.
So now I’m back at square one. Still no peanut butter, almond butter occasionally, and the most addictive tahini and maple combination ever. Lately I’ve been mixing in some cardamom and cinnamon for even more flavor.
This Tahini & Maple Granola was born out of my new-found love. And just like my new snack, this granola would graciously take on dash of cinnamon in addition to the cardamom.
What is tahini?
Tahini is a paste made from ground toasted and hulled sesame seeds. Tahini is made in a process that’s very similar to making nut butters like peanut butter and almond butter.
Most often you’ll find regular tahini in stores which is made of white sesame seeds. However, black tahini, made from black sesame seeds, is also available. Black tahini is stunning and dramatic in color and are the star in my Chewy Tahini Cookies.
You’ll find tahini used in cuisines all over the world, but it’s very popular in in the Middle East, Mediterranean, and North Africa. It’s often well-known for it’s use in hummus and baba ghanoush.
Do I have to use pure maple syrup?
There are three things I encourage home cooks to replace in their kitchens and maple syrup is one of them. Pure maple syrup is worth the extra few dollars for many reasons including the fact that it’s all natural (sweetness and flavor), is nuanced in flavor, and is overall a high-quality product.
The other two things I encourage home cooks to replace in their kitchens include using pure vanilla extract as opposed to imitation, and always, always, always cooking with kosher salt.
Tahini & Maple Granola
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 5½ cups 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This crunchy granola is naturally sweetened and made with only whole grains. Healthy and wholesome, this granola is also incredibly delicious.
Ingredients
2 cup old fashioned oats (certified gluten-free if needed)
¾ cup raw pecans
½ cup raw pepitas
¼ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup tahini
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon kosher or Himalayan salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat with nonstick spray.
Pulse pecans in a food processor until chunky (about 8 pulses), add oats to processor and pulse to break up (about 5 pulses). Transfer pecans and oats to a large mixing bowl and stir in pumpkin seeds, maple syrup, tahini, oil, cardamom, vanilla, and salt.
Spread in an even layer on prepared baking sheet and bake 25–30 minutes, stirring halfway through. Cool completely then transfer to an airtight container; store at room temperature for 2–3 weeks.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ cup
- Calories: 133
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 58mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: omg
Keywords: Tahini Granola, Tahini recipe
One last note:
With the new year off to a running start it’s easy to get caught up in the pace of day to day life. This year I am making it a priority to acknowledge and focus on what makes me happy. I can’t commit to slowing down, it’s not really in my nature, but I can make a point to find and create space for happiness.
Check out this podcast from TED Radio Hour (not affiliated at all), that focuses on happiness, “it is not happiness that makes us grateful, it’s gratefulness that makes up happy”.
Yum
this recipe is amazing. i make it every weekend and have been for over a year and i never get bored. i have tried many granola recipes and always come back to this one because its amazing. my whole family loves it and i do too, thank you.
★★★★★