Here in 2026, there’s a growing emphasis on gut health and a push towards high protein and fiber-friendly foods like legumes, lentils, chickpeas, beans, whole grains and fiber-rich vegetables. Whole Foods snacks are the trend here in 2026. After a day of snow hiking eight miles for work with my clients, you bet your ass I won’t be inhaling crap foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner. My thermos will be filled with Thai Bone Broth for my breakfast. And I will have Greek yogurt and my famous nut-forward version of Artesian Granona with Greek yogurt for my lunch. Here in 2026, I’m all about healthy homemade granola.
When I spend ten hours a day during the holiday season and moving on into a snowy January with my guests, leading them on the best wilderness snowshoeing tours, Jeep excursions and hiking tours in all of southern California, I’m usually ravenous by lunch time. I better have packed a healthy lunch in my ice chest. I burn a lot of calories on any given workday as Big Bear Lake, California’s number one-rated Outdoor Adventure Guide. This Snack Sherpa may be bringing a gourmet charcuterie platter stuffed full of salami roses and artesian cheeses for her guests but as for my health-conscious lunch as we roll into 2026, yes, some of us on snowshoes, I’m most likely partaking in a homemade healthy parfait of home-baked nut-studded healthy homemade granola and fresh fruit. And of course, Costco Organic Greek yogurt, which is basically as close as you can get to the curd-style yogurt of India, or to making your own yogurt from scratch.
When it comes to FiberMaxxing here in 2026, I was all about fiber before it was cool to throw Chia seeds in one’s salads.
Oats Keep You Full (Instead of Hungry and Irritated)
Oats are rich in soluble fiber, particularly beta-glucan, which:
- Slows digestion
- Helps regulate blood sugar
- Keeps you fuller longer
Translation:
You eat oat-based granola at 8 a.m., hike for eight miles and you’re still a functional human at 11 a.m. You eat sugar-bomb granola and you’re rummaging for snacks by 9:30.
Have you ever wondered how to make granola with less sugar? It’s easier than snowshoeing up a mountain! I promise!
Naturally Gluten-Free (When Certified)
For anyone avoiding gluten:
- Oats are naturally gluten-free
- Certified gluten-free oats prevent cross-contamination
That makes oat-based granola a more inclusive option without resorting to weird substitute grains that taste like packing material.
Cost-Effective and Sustainable
Let’s be honest:
- Oats are affordable
- Widely available
- Environmentally reasonable compared to exotic “super grains” flown halfway around the world
Your breakfast does not need a carbon footprint bigger than your car.
The Granola I Eat When I’m Attempting Responsible Choices
1/2 cup of puffed brown rice
1/2 cup of gluten-free oats
1/2 cup of millet
1/2 cup of buckwheat
1/2 cup of spelt
1/4 cup of amaranth
1/4 cup of pepita seeds
1/4 cup of slivered almonds
1/4 cup of macadamia nuts
1/4 cup of almond or cashew butter
1/4 cup honey, coconut sugar or agave
1/4 cup of pecans
1/4 cup of walnuts
1/4 cup of Flame raisins
1/4 cup of dried blueberries
1/4 cup of coconut sugar
1/2 cup of coconut oil, melted
2 teaspoons chia seeds
2 teaspoons flax seeds
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup candied ginger, chopped up
If Your Granola Tastes Like Candy, We Need to Talk
Or try this easy recipe! Mix all the grains, the cinnamon, cardamom, flax seeds, chia seeds, nuts and pepita seeds. In a separate bowl, mix the melted coconut oil, nut butter, and honey/sugar substitute. Using a spatula, mix the coconut oil into the dry ingredients on a large baking sheet. Bake this in the oven at 325. After the first ten minutes, give it all a stir with the spatula every five minutes. You should cook this low-sugar granola for about 20-25 minutes total. Remove from the oven and let it cool for fifteen minutes. Stir in all your dried fruit. I like to store this in air-tight glass containers.
