5-Minute Microwave Mug Granola {healthy, easy, vegan, GF}

Shamelessly easy, 5-minute microwave mug granola is your busy morning bestie! Healthy, crunchy, cluster-ific, is is also vegan & gluten-free. Yum!

Make a Mug of Granola in Minutes–in Your Microwave

You could hang around the kitchen for 45 minutes to an hour, hand-crafting a jumbo batch of artisanal granola. Follow it up with 20 minutes of scrubbing bowls, measuring cups, countertops and a cookie sheet.

Or, you could make my  above-pictured, wondrously delectable granola. In 5 minutes. In one mug.

You don’t have to share.

You can pinch yourself now. You’re not dreaming!

The 5 Ingredients for Healthy Microwave Mug Granola

This is all that you need ingredients-wise. The salt is optional, so I’m not including it–or the water–in the “five” ingredients:

1. Rolled Oats (certified gluten-free, as needed)
2. 1 tablespoon maple syrup (I have options for using other sweeteners)
3. 1 tablespoon chopped nuts or seeds
4. 1 tablespoon chopped dried fruit
5. 2 teaspoons oil of choice

How to Make Granola in the Microwave

Now get your granola groove on! Here’s how:

Step One” Mix the Ingredients in a Large Mug

Place everything EXCEPT the dried fruit into a large mug.

Stir it up with a fork so the oats and nuts/seeds are coated. It’s important to leave out the dried fruit at this stage. Microwaving chopped dried fruit for several minutes leads to teeth-breaking bits of coal.

 Step Two: Set Microwave to MEDIUM (50%) Power

Next, a moment of abject TERROR: You will need to (gulp) set the power level button (yes, said button exists on your microwave) to Medium (50%). You may have never touched this button before now. You can do it. Apply finger and push until it reads either Medium or 50% power. Breathe. You did it.

Step Three: Microwave the Granola on Medium Power 

Microwave on Medium (50%) for 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 minutes total, stopping halfway through to stir (the oats and nuts/seeds at the bottom of the mug will toast faster than those at the top).

You read the correctly: toast. The oats and nuts/seeds get toasty, golden and fragrant. In the microwave. Really and truly!

Step Four: Stir in the Dried Fruit

Add the dried fruit (if using) and stir things up one last time. The granola will be perfectly crispy in a few minutes as the oats cool.

 

Step Five: Eat!

Eat the granola straight up as an energizing snack, or add a splash of your favorite milk for a complete meal. With the energy you’ve gained (oat power!), and the time you’ve saved, you will want to run, skip and jump for joy!

Add Flavors to Suit your Tastes

You can tweak this basic recipe with whatever nuts, seeds, dried fruit, dried coconut, extracts, citrus zest that suit your fancy. My fancy tends to be very fancy, so I often add a little bit of everything :). The base recipe is pretty forgiving, so adjust the sweetener and salt—a bit more, a touch less—or add a pinch of a favorite spice.

Happy eating!

More Healthy, Delicious Granolas to Try

Healthy Oil-Free Granola (vegan, GF)

How to Make Low-Calorie Granola {vegan, GF, 72 calories}

Banana Bread Protein Granola (vegan, GF)

Oil-Free Buckwheat Granola {vegan, GF, oat-free}

Grain-Free Banana Granola {oil-free, no added sugar}

Grain-Free Red Lentil Granola {vegan}

Fresh Apple Pie Granola (vegan, gluten-free)