Loaded Coconut Oil Granola

Servings: 12
Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 cups oats
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seed kernels
• 1/2 cup chopped raw almonds
• 1/2 cup sunflower seed kernels
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine oats, pumpkin seed kernels, chopped almonds, and sunflower seed kernels in a large bowl.

In a saucepan on the stove, melt together the honey, coconut oil, cinnamon, and vanilla until combined, stirring occasionally.

Pour honey mixture over oat mixture and stir to coat.

Spread oat mixture into baking pans (metal pans cook faster than glass). Bake for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

After baking, add dried cranberries or raisins and roasted peanuts. Enjoy granola with milk or yogurt and some fruit!

Recipe and photo submitted by Rachel, Eugene, OR.

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No-Bake, Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip, Coconut Oil Protein Bars

Servings: 12
Preparation Time: 5–10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 1/2 cups oats
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup raisins (or date chunks, cranberries, Craisins, dried cherries/mangoes/apricots/etc. Any dried fruit will work.)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (or carob, butterscotch, white chocolate chips, etc.)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup peanut putter (or any nut butter, i.e. almond, pecan, cashew, coconut peanut butter, etc.)

The following ingredients are optional, but I used them all:

• 2 to 4 scoops protein powder
• 2 tablespoons flax seeds
• 2 tablespoons chia Seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Mash the banana with a fork, then add all the remaining ingredients. Stir till combined.

Press the mixture into a plastic container with a lid or 8 x 8-inch pan (or use whatever you want, even a cookie sheet with a raised edge will work) and freeze for a few hours.

Remove from freezer and slice into bars. Wrap individually for on-the-go snacks.

Recipe and photo submitted by Averie, Phoenix, AZ.

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Soft Pretzels

Servings: 10 large pretzels
Preparation Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups very warm water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 22 ounces flour, about 4 1/2 cups (use about half whole wheat flour)
• 2 ounces coconut oil, melted (about 1/4 cup)
• 2 quarts water
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water, optional
• salt

Directions:

Pour water into the bowl of a standing mixer and stir in sugar and salt until dissolved. Sprinkle the yeast on top but do not stir. Allow to proof for 5–10 minutes until the yeast begins to foam.

Add the flour and coconut oil to the yeast mixture. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Turn the speed up and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, around 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove dough from the bowl. Oil the bowl with coconut oil and place ball of dough back in. Lightly grease the top of the dough ball. Cover the top of the bowl with a damp towel and let sit in a warm place for approximately 1–2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Stir the water and baking soda together and bring to a boil in a large pot.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface lightly oiled with extra coconut oil and divide into 10 equal pieces. Roll out into pretzel shapes and place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper and greased with coconut oil.

Place 1 pretzel at a time into the boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove with a large, flat spatula and place back onto lined cookie sheets. Brush with optional egg wash, if desired.

Bake until dark golden brown in color, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and serve with melted butter, salt, cinnamon sugar, and other toppings/dips of choice.

Recipe courtesy of Sarah Shilhavy.

Recipe prepared by Sarah Shilhavy and photographed by Jeremiah Shilhavy.

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