Healthy Raspberry Almond Granola

 
Shortly before I finished my sophomore year of college, a few graduate students in my research lab asked if I wanted to participate in a running race with them the following month. It spanned 170 miles from Portland to Eugene in Oregon, and as a relay race with 36 segments in its course, each person took three of those legs.  

After checking my calendar, I agreed, and with practically no time to train, they graciously gave me the three easiest sections. Over the next few weeks, I stopped by the gym multiple times each week, in addition to my typical outdoor runs, to spend some time on the stair machines. I lived in one of the flattest cities in Northern California where the only hills were freeway overpasses—the complete opposite of the mountain terrain of the Oregon course!
 

 
As the race drew near, I packed a duffel bag with everything I needed for the event: lots of clean socks, athletic wear, PJs and a pillow (it spanned 24 hours, so the only place we planned to sleep during the race was in our car!)… Plus the usual travel essentials like toothbrushes, shampoo, and plenty of deodorant.

The night before we left, I also decided to throw together a grocery bag full of snacks, both for our 10-hour road trip from our California town to Portland, as well as for the race. Apples, bananas, carrots, 100-calorie snack bars, and granola…
 

 
Like this Healthy Raspberry Almond Granola! It’s full of crunchy clusters with bright pops of sweet fruit flavor, and it’s incredibly simple to make. Just 6 ingredients and 119 calories!

And as my dad can attest to, it’s perfect for pre-workout snacking! ??
 

 
You’ll use old-fashioned oats and crisp brown rice cereal as the base of this healthy granola. Yes, rice cereal! Although it might sound strange, it adds a big crunch for very few calories, unlike traditional recipes that depend on lots of oil for that irresistible crunch. This is the kind I use, and if you can’t find that, regular rice cereal also works!

To bind together those two cereals, you’ll use egg whites and pure maple syrup. Egg whites add a protein boost—and I promise you will NOT end up with bits of egg in your granola! (It’s just like when you bake cookies… There aren’t any bits of cooked eggs in those either!)

Be sure you use the real kind of maple syrup! Skip the pancake syrups and sugar-free syrups because those contain corn syrup or artificial ingredients, which we’re avoiding in this healthy granola recipe. The only ingredient on the label should be “maple syrup,” and it generally comes in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs (like this!).
 

 
Here’s my secret trick to getting big granola clusters… You’ll spread out the mixture on a silicone baking mat on a cookie sheet! This allows the granola to bake more evenly, compared to traditional recipes that call for baking in a cake pan, which means that you won’t need to move it around the pan as much. Less moving = bigger crunchier clusters!

Then once your granola cools, sprinkle freeze dried raspberries over the top. I’ve found them at Trader Joe’s and Target, and they add a wonderful big burst of sweet flavor!
 

 
Then pour a bowl—or just grab a handful—and enjoy! ♡ And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ?) I’d love to see your granola and feature it in my Sunday Spotlight series!

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You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♥   Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Granola
♥   Almond Joy Granola
♥   5-Ingredient Trail Mix Granola
♥   Honey Nut Granola
♥   Easy Slow Cooker Granola
♥   Carrot Cake Granola
♥   Blueberry Maple Almond Granola