Grain Free Maple Cinnamon Granola
{Original post published June 20, 2018}
We've been on a cereal kick lately.
Maybe it's just me, but when the weather warms up I want to be spending as little time in the kitchen as possible. And cereal is not just delicious but it's FAST.
HOWEVER. I have looked far and wide for a healthy boxed cereal that isn't made with sugar and processed grains and.... no dice. (And trust me, I'm really good at grocery store sleuthing.)
So really the only good option we have is to DIY our own tasty granola. Which isn't all that bad, because making your own granola is hella easy and makes your house smell heavenly. Plus it only takes about half an hour, and then you have breakfasts for the whole week!
So without further ado, I give you my favourite grain-free granola recipe. Filled with healthy fats from the nuts and seeds- it'll keep you full way way longer than Cheerios would.
Grain Free Maple Cinnamon Granola
3 cups unsweetened coconut flakes (not shreds)
1 ½ cups sliced almonds
1 cup shelled raw pumpkin seeds
½ cup raw sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ tsp sea salt
⅓ cup maple syrup
⅓ cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tbsp hemp seeds
Directions
Heat oven to 325 F
Combine coconut, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, salt and cinnamon and in a large bowl and set aside.
Combine oil, maple syrup and vanilla in a saucepan and heat over low heat until just melted and combined.
Mix wet ingredients into dry.
Spread the mixture onto two cookie sheets lined with foil or parchment.
Bake 10-15 minutes then remove from oven and stir gently.
Bake an additional 10-15 minutes, watching closely to make sure it doesn’t burn! Granola should be golden and fragrant. (Every oven cooks a little differently, so baking time may vary.)
Remove from oven and sprinkle with hemp seeds. (I like to keep hemp seeds raw so as not to destroy the beneficial fatty acids!)
Allow to cool for 10 minutes on the pan, then store in an airtight container. Will keep for 5-7 days at room temperature.
NOTES:
For a more traditional granola, sub the coconut flakes for old fashioned rolled oats.
Feel free to add in dried fruit like cranberries, raisins or finely chopped pineapple or mangoes. I prefer to add fruit once granola is out of the oven, while it's cooling.
Serve with good quality yogurt, almond milk, fruit or on top of smoothie bowls or chia pudding!
To make this recipe even lower in sugar, omit maple syrup and use applesauce instead.
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