Granola for a long car ride

Alex and I are going on vacation soon. Wait, let me say that again correctly. Alex and I are going on vacation soon!!!!! Soon is Monday. We're driving to Milwaukee to see my best friend, and camping along the way. We will eat Kopps burgers, go to thrift stores and flea markets, eat, take a billion photos (both film and digital! I bought another film camera) and have lots of fun.

Milwaukee is a long drive away from here. About a thousand miles long drive. In preparation for this drive, I have made granola. This granola is full of protein, good fats, fiber, omegas, energy, and delicious fruit. It's not too sweet. When I first tried it I wasn't sure I liked it, but then I kept eating and then almost couldn't stop. I packed a little bag to put in yogurt with some honey for breakfast tomorrow, but the rest is for the road.

This granola was an experiment. I tried some things I've never tried before. I added chia seeds before cooking the granola, which I was nervous about because I wasn't sure if they'd do their gel thing with the oil/honey liquid I poured over. I added protein powder so this granola will fill me up a little more, and faster. I've never baked with protein powder before, and was a little nervous. I know you could, some packages even say 'add to breads and cakes and pancakes!' but I wasn't sure. I added finely ground flaxseed at the end, with the fruits, so it wouldn't lose its omegas and the other good things flaxseeds contain besides fiber.

I added maca powder, because I love it so. Maca, if you've never heard of it, is a root that helps give you energy and balance hormones. It has a malty, distinct taste. I used coconut oil for half of the oil in the granola. Coconut oil is full of good fats. I used two kinds of nuts and three kinds of fruits. See?

Long car ride granola


4 c gluten free oats
1/2 c raw almonds, chopped
1/2 c raw pistachios, chopped
1/2 c raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 c coconut flakes
2 T chia seeds
2 T maca powder
3 T protein powder
3/4 t salt
1/2 c coconut oil
1/4 c olive oil
3/4 c honey
2 T finely ground flaxseed
1/2 c each dried strawberries, tart cherries, and apricots, chopped

Preheat oven to 300. Mix together everything except the oils, honey, flax and fruit. Warm up the coconut oil so it's liquid, then warm up the honey a little so it's runny. Mix them together, then mix in the olive oil. Pour over the oat mixture, then spread into two cookie sheets. Bake 20-30 minutes, stirring once or twice until lightly brown. Once the granola is out of the oven, sprinkle with flaxseed and stir in the fruits. Let cool fully, then eat! Yum.