Granola with Coconut Flakes and Hemp Hearts

Ingredients:

• Dry ingredients:
• 1½ cups rolled oats (gluten-free oats if required)
• (optional ½ cup raw quinoa, pan-toasted while stirring constantly for 2 or 3 minutes)
• ½ cup raw pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
• ½ cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1½ cups nuts (i use 1 cup sliced almonds and ½ cup chopped walnuts)
• ¼ cup flaxseed
• ½ cup raw hemp hearts
• Dry ingredient to bake separately:
• 2 cups coconut flakes (coconut chips)
• Binder:
• 8 oz. finely chopped medjool dates
• ½ cup walnut butter or other nut butter

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. Mix together oats, pepitas, sunflower seeds, nuts, quinoa, flaxseed, and hemp hearts in a large bowl.
3. Spread mixture onto first baking sheet.
4. Spread coconut flakes onto a second baking sheet.
5. Pit dates, chop, process in a food processor until they stick together in a ball. Add nut butter to processor and process until dates and nut butter are well combined. Put date/nut butter into the work bowl of a stand mixer and set aside.
6. Place both baking sheets in oven.
7. Bake, stirring every six minutes.
8. Remove coconut flakes when golden but not dark brown, about 8-10 minutes.
9. Continue to bake the first baking sheet of granola, stirring every six minutes. Remove from oven after 24 minutes, earlier if the granola starts to brown.
10. Combine the pan of granola with the date/nut butter paste in the bowl of the stand mixer. Mix together on low for a couple of minutes until the granola is well combined with the date/nut butter paste.
11. Add coconut flakes, mix together.
12. Press into cake pan. Cool. Break up and store in a glass jar.

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