Grain-Free Cinnamon Vanilla Granola

As we know I love granola…as a cereal, on yogurt, right out of the container. You name it, I love it! Lately, I’ve had some upset stomach issues, and in an effort to rule things out, I stopped eating oats for a bit. Well—no oats?!?!?! What’s a granola-loving girl to do? Improvise of course!

I found this recipe from Against All Grain for a completely grain free granola, so I thought that I’d give it a shot—couldn’t be all bad, right? I made a few adjustments (like maple syrup for one) to make it a bit more true to my tastes, and I must say…it is pretty good!

I did try the granola as a cereal, and I will admit that I wasn’t overly excited—because the granola is mainly nuts and I was too impatient to fully cook it, it didn’t soak up the almond milk like a more traditional granola does—not as satisfying. That hasn’t stopped me though! My favorite way to eat it has been to throw in some dried blueberries and then snack on it throughout the day. There’s something about the granola with it being just slightly moist with a bit of a chew to it (I know that sounds weird, but it is so satisfying!), and throwing in the dried blueberries adds a bit of extra sweetness—mmm…mmm…truly scrumptious! I’ve seriously been carrying around a little Tupperware and a spoon each day, to and from meetings, sneaking bites as I can (nobody was looking…right?!?!?!).

 

• Difficulty: easy
• Print

• 3 cups mixed raw nuts (I used a mix of pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews)
• 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1 tablespoon golden flax seeds
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 3/4 cup maple syrup, melted
• 1-1/2 tablespoons vanilla
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt (plus 1 teaspoon for soaking water)
• 1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
• Optional: 1 cup of dried fruit of your choice (raisins, blueberries, cranberries, etc)

Instructions:

1. Soak all of the nuts in enough water to cover them and mix in 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover, and soak overnight, changing out the water one time. Soak the sunflower seeds in a separate bowl, following the same procedure as above. Note that if you use cashews, they will take on a brownish/purplish color—since everything gets processed, you won’t notice later.
2. Drain the nuts and seeds and place on a paper towel to absorb the remaining water. Keep half of the sunflower seeds separate.
3. Place all of the nuts and half of the sunflower seeds in the bowl of a food processor. Grind them until they resemble the size of oats.
4. Add in the coconut oil, cinnamon, maple syrup, vanilla, sea salt. Pulse until combined.
5. Next, add last half of the sunflower seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, and hemp seeds, and pulse once or twice, until they are roughly chopped and mixed into the nut mixture.
6. Remove the blade, then mix in the shredded coconut with a spoon. Turn the mixture out onto 3 parchment covered dehydrator trays. Spread it evenly into a thin layer.
7. Bake in your oven on the lowest setting for 3-4 four hours, or until free of moisture (I wanted mine slightly chewy, so I took it out a little early).
8. Let cool completely before adding any mix-ins (it will crisp as it cools) and then store in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks. 

 

I just ran out of this granola today, and I’m totally bummed! Aaron’s going to have to make a run to the store so I can work on a batch to take with me the rest of the week! 😉

What’s your favorite carry-around snack?

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