Delectable Grain-Free Granola
The perfect snack or homemade holiday gift
Honestly, I’ve never met a granola that I didn’t like. The mix of crunch, sweetness and a touch of salt is so satisfying to me, down-right craveable. Unfortunately, many of the store-bought options come with added binders and sugars that take away from the nutritional quality of the core ingredients. That’s why I’m a big fan of making my own granola, so I can choose exactly what goes into it.
Oats (the go-to base for most granolas) are a nutritional powerhouse and one of my absolute favorite foods. But since oatmeal is a breakfast staple of mine, I wanted an afternoon snack that focused on nuts and seeds. Let me tell you, you’re in for a treat with this recipe! This granola is grain-free, gluten-free and refined sugar free (paleo friendly!), and tastes so good that it’s border-line addictive. You can have it on it’s own or put it on top of yogurt or your favorite smoothie bowl.
This granola also makes a simple, delicious homemade holiday gift for friends and family, teachers, coworkers or the host of the party. Double the recipe to fill six 12-16 ounce mason jars (or 12 six-eight ounce jars) and adorn with twine, a holiday tag and a small bow (check out our Instagram @healthwellstyled to see ours!). We hope you’re ready for it to be a new tradition, because everyone will be asking you for it year after year!
DELECTABLE GRAIN AND GLUTEN-FREE GRANOLA:
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Cool Time: 30 minutes
Total time: 60 minutes
Yield: Recommended serving size is one handful; recipe makes 12-16 servings
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup raw walnuts
1 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup raw pecans
3/4 cup mix of dried cranberries, blueberries and/or cherries
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/3 cup organic honey
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Optional (we included): 1/3 cup hemp seed + 1/3 cup chia seed
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 300F.
2. In a food processor or blender, chop walnuts, cashews, pecans and coconut flakes into small pieces. Do not over blend.
3. In a large saucepan, combine honey, coconut oil, cinnamon and salt and stir over medium heat for three minutes or until fully combined. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
4. Add in chopped nuts/coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and optional hemp/chia seeds and stir to coat.
5. Spread mixture evenly onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and lightly press down.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and press dried fruit into warm granola mixture.
7. Allow to cool for 30 minutes or until fully hardened, break apart and enjoy! Store in airtight container(s) for up to two weeks (although it tastes so good, we seriously doubt it’ll last that long!)
