Gluten-free Vegan Cranberry Orange Granola

Hello! Welcome to the WinniE’s Bakery blog! My name is Elise and I am the head pastry chef and owner of WinniE’s Bakery. This blog is long over due and incrediblny exciting. I promise to give a proper introduction about myself and the bakery, in my next post. But, for now this recipe is an introduction to a recurring post called “Wednesday’s with WinniE’s”™. It was developed as apart of a series I created. It’s called the “Recovery Recipe Series”™, the influence behind the series was to create delicious food that not only nourishes the body, but, the soul and to encourage people to experiment in the kitchen. The first up is the recipe below, our Gluten-free Vegan Cranberry Orange granola. Give it a try!Vegan GF Cranberry Orange GranolaIngredients:Nonstick cooking spray (we like coconut)1/3 c light agave2/3 c light brown sugar2 tsp. fresh squeeze orange juice1/4 c coconut oil1 tbsp. orange zest1/2 tsp. Ground nutmeg2 c. Gluten-free Old Fashioned rolled oats1/2 c slivered almonds1/3 c pumpkin seeds1/4 c sunflower seeds1/4 tsp. salt1 c dried cranberriesInstructions:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.On a baking sheet, evenly spread the pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Bake for 8-10 mins, until just toasted. You should be able to smell a light aroma of nuttiness. Place the pan atop a wire rack to cool. After 10mins, place the toasted seeds in a large bowl and set aside. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.Prepare the same baking sheet by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray (we like coconut) and set aside. Over medium heat, in a sauce pan, combine the agave, brown sugar, orange juice, coconut oil and nutmeg. Using a rubber spatula, stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and drop in the fresh zest and let cool for about 3 mins.In the bowl with the toasted seeds, stir in the cranberries, oats, almonds and salt. Then, using your hands, mix the dry ingredients well. Next, pour the wet mixture over the oat mixture and using a rubber spatula fold in carefully, stir until well combined. Spread the granola onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!Chef Note: Also, honey is a perfect substitute for those who do not have or wish to use agave. However, the granola will no longer be vegan.