Honeybee Granola

We had the best bee intentions this summer on the homestead; hive ready to go, cutie little bee keeper outfit acquired + identified a great local source for our nuc. Unfortunately, busy work schedules (transition out of full time work in the city clinic), house renovations, a new puppy, coop-building & gardening put our bee-keeping dreams on hold until next year.

While this summer was a personal bee-keeping fail we did manage to connect with a few great apiarists in the area who kept us well-stocked with fresh local honey. We made honey-based natural cough syrup, baked many many muffins and whipped up with this sweet & summery granola.

This bee-focused granola recipe made from wildflower honey and bee pollen is an ode to late summer’s favourite picnic intruder. It’s sweet and satisfying thanks to the healthy fats from almonds and protein found in hemp seeds. Just please use sustainably harvested honey & bee pollen sources to protect the bees and support local beekeepers:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

• 1 cups raw slivered almonds (or other nuts)

• 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

• ½ cup melted coconut oil

• ½ cup wild flower honey

• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

• ¼ cup bee pollen

 Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, nuts, salt and cinnamon and mix well. Gentle stir in the melted oil, honey and vanilla until well combined. Turn the mixed granola out onto a parchment lined sheet pan and spread it in an even layer. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes stirring half way until lightly golden. Mix bee pollen into the hot granola to let it set into the granola, let cool 10 minutes then serve on top homemade yoghurt with more bee pollen and wild flower honey.