I can't compete with her photos or with her style. I won't even try. Today, Meg over at The Red Spoon, became my hero. She introduced my family to a new healthy, economical snack that will feed our hungry bellies for years to come. Nutty Granola Clusters. Wow.


These guys are nutty. They are chewy but crisp. They are healthy but tasty. Did I use the word 'wow' yet?


I whipped up a batch with less than 5 minutes prep time (I kid you not). And even my somewhat picky husband was wowed.


And that's saying a lot.

Nutty Granola Clusters, adapted from The Red Spoon Blog
Makes about 5 cups; 20 minutes prep (mostly hands-off)

The original recipe calls for butter, but I substituted coconut oil. (I use it whenever I can. It's somewhat of an obsession.). I also added some coconut - Meg said I could! - and used whole almonds instead of chopped. Mix it up to suit your tastes, but keep the oatmeal, flour, and egg white intact.

2 cups old fashioned oats
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 cup whole roasted almonds
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup honey
1 egg white

Preheat the oven to 325*. Line a baking sheet with foil.

In a large bowl mix together the oats, flour, brown sugar, salt and nuts.

In a microwave safe bowl heat the oil and honey together until the oil is melted. Pour over the oat mixture and stir until combined.

Whisk the egg white in a small bowl until frothy. If you've never whisked an egg white by hand, please do. It's so much fun! Add the egg to the oat mixture and mix until incorporated.

Evenly spread the oat mixture onto the baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Let the granola cool completely, then break it apart into clusters. Snack to your heart's content, or serve it with milk, yogurt, or fruit.

Linking this up to Real Food Wednesdays, Hearth and Soul Hop,  Wander Food Wednesdays, Frugal Food Thursday and Weekend Bloggy Reading.