A homemade granola that is healthy, satisfying, flavorful and a perfect option at breakfast or snack time. This cranberry almond granola will keep your belly full and happy, thanks to the perfect mix of protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates used in this recipe.

There are loads of nourishing foods in this recipe that offer many health benefits. I also mentioned earlier that, thanks to the protein and healthy fats, you will have a happy and satisfied belly for a longer period of time.

Two ingredients that deliver all of the good stuff to the body are the almonds and almond butter. Use unsalted almonds and all-natural unsalted almond butter and you will get a healthy dose of fiber, protein, and healthy fats. 2 tablespoons of all-natural unsalted almond butter and 2 tablespoons of unsalted almonds each contains 3g fiber (12% daily value), 7g protein (14% daily value), and 17g healthy fats (22% daily value).

To increase the nutrient content even further, look for sprouted almond butter, like this Organic Sprouted Almond Butter. The ingredient list on this particular kind lists one ingredient: 100% organic raw sprouted almonds. Like any nut butter, check the label to make sure what you’re buying doesn’t contain added sugars, preservatives, or fillers.  Almond butter is mildly sweet and nutty, making it a delicious addition to spread on toast or stir in oatmeal. By law, all almonds (both organic and non-organic) grown in California have to be heat pasteurized or treated with fumigant in an effort to prevent food-borne illness (outbreaks of salmonella occurred twice in the early 2000s. Both outbreaks were traced back to almonds in California). Pasteurization methods include steaming, dry roasting, oil roasting, blanching, etc. If they’re not steamed, they have to be fumigated with PPO, also known as propylene oxide. This chemical has been shown to cause eye irritation and respiratory tract inflammation. It is also a mild central nervous system depressant. Companies use PPO instead of heat steaming or other methods because it’s faster to chemically pasteurize. The only way to avoid PPO is to buy organic almond products (almonds, almond butter, and almond flour). PPO is banned as a pasteurization method for organic almonds.

The main ingredient, gluten-free rolled oats, pack on B vitamins, minerals, folate, and 5g of fiber per serving (½ cup) which tallies up to be 20% daily value for fiber. Look for regular gluten-free rolled oats. Quick-cooking or instant oats are more processed, often stripped of many nutritional benefits. Non-contaminated oats are naturally gluten-free… but still check the labels. Unfortunately, with the amount of GMO foods being produced along with cross-contamination at food factories, it’s easy for gluten-free foods, like oats, to cross-contaminate with foods that contain gluten, like barley. Cross-contamination can happen in food factories or in the fields. If oats are grown close to another food source that has gluten, like wheat, the oats may be contaminated with gluten. Your best bet is to purchase organic rolled oats if you’re super sensitive to gluten intake. I like these organic gluten-free sprouted rolled oats.

If granola is your jam, check out this super simple Pumpkin Spice Protein Granola, a perfect fall recipe!