I was asked to write a bio recently and so I described myself as: a yoga instructor, vegan food blogger, stand up paddleboard (SUP) enthusiast and dedicated granola eater. There you have it…granola is actually a part of my identity. I love it so much. I love making it. I love eating it. And I love sharing it with other people.

Being crunchy-nutty is something I really do embrace. I like to think of myself as a kind, loving, earthy, hippie momma. I like real food made by hand. I say namaste and mean it. I am an open-minded, liberal-leaning, tree-hugging granola eater and this is my latest granola concoction.

I love ginger anytime of year, but during the winter months it is extra special. It’s spicy warmness is just what I’m in the mood for right now in January. I’ve been using lots of fresh ginger in my juices and stir fries. It’s especially great for digestion and inflammation. But the taste and smell are what get me. So wonderful.

This recipe calls for fresh ginger root, ground ginger and crystalized ginger. And the latter is a bit of an indulgence with some added sugar, but I don’t use much. It’s super awesome.

Also, I added hemp seeds and powder for added protein and nutrition. I stopped buying protein powder mixes a long time ago and switched to hemp. I especially love the nutty taste of the hemp seeds and add them to my oatmeal and smoothies all of the time.

Because I wanted the granola to have a ginger snap sort of taste, I went with cane syrup as my primary sweetener. The brand I use is Steen’s from Louisiana. If you can find it, give it a try. It has a very unique flavor, like molasses but a little milder. Cane syrup is kind of a southern alternative to maple syrup, since maple trees produce their sap in colder climates, like Vermont.

So this is my hippie-dippy-a-little spicy winter granola. I hope you like it. Namaste 😉

Hippie Triple Ginger Hemp Granola

Makes 4-5 cups

3 cups gluten-free rolled oats

1 cup raw nuts (I used pecan pieces)

1/4 cup hemp seeds

1 cup unsweetened coconut chips or flakes

1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted

1/4 cane syrup, molasses or maple syrup

2 Tbsp raw agave nectar

1 tsp freshly grated ginger

1 Tbsp crystalized ginger, finely chopped

1 tsp ground ginger

1 Tbsp pure vanilla

1 tsp hemp powder

1/8 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 325. In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts hemp seeds and coconut. In a glass measuring cup, melt coconut oil in microwave (about 30 seconds). Add cane syrup, agave, fresh ginger, crystalized ginger, ground ginger, vanilla, salt and hemp powder. Whisk to combine liquid ingredients and add to oat mixture. Toss to coat. Grease a baking sheet with coconut oil and spread out the granola evenly. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, turning granola with a spatula every 10 minutes or so until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool before serving.