This coconut quinoa granola was supposed to have been posted last week. Then I ate it all before I had a chance to take any photos.

You've been warned. It's that addictive.

So here it is the second time around, tweaked and perfected. I've been making granola at home for a while, but hadn't tried using quinoa until now, even though it's a pantry staple for lunch and dinner around here. Now I think I prefer it to granola made just with oats. First off, it's crunchy but not overly crunchy, without the big hard pieces that you sometimes get with all-oat granola, homemade or store-bought. And second, think of all that iron, protein, and other nutrients you'll get just from a small bowl at breakfast!

 Making this couldn't be easier. I start with equal parts uncooked quinoa and old-fashioned rolled oats, then add nuts and dried fruit. Here I used dried cranberries, coconut flakes, almonds,  and pumpkins seeds. Some other possibilities: dried cherries, blueberries, apricots, mango, pecans, cashews, walnuts. You can also add it some flax seeds or chia seeds. Then, just stir in melted coconut oil and agave nectar or honey until everything is evenly mixed.

A wonderful side benefit is that if you live in a small apartment, the lovely coconut aroma from the baking will stay around for the rest of the day. Not a bad thing at all.

I like to eat this with Greek yogurt or almond milk, but it's also great on its own as an afternoon snack.

This granola keeps for about a few weeks if you store it in a cool, dry spot in a tightly sealed glass jar. That is, if you don't stand at your kitchen counter while the granola is still cooling and keep eating it by the spoonful. Which requires a good amount of willpower to avoid.

Other quinoa granola around the web:

• Maple-Cinnamon Quinoa Granola from Naturally Ella
• Quinoa and Pumpkin Seed Granola from Little Yellow Kitchen
• Cashew Quinoa Granola from Running to the Kitchen
• Crispy Quinoa Granola from A Couple Cooks

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Coconut Quinoa Granola

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup slivered or chopped almonds
• 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 3 tablespoons agave nectar or honey

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the quinoa, oats, cranberries, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and coconut flakes. Stir in the coconut oil and agave nectar and mix until all the dry ingredients are evenly coated.
3. Spread the mixture out on a thin layer on large baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once about halfway through, until the granola is golden. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature before transferring to your storage containers.