Gluten Free Grain Free Granola
Crunchy Sweet Salty and Oat Free
Dear Friends,
Before I get on to the recipe of the day - I have super exciting news!! Here at Next Level Gluten Free newsletter I have quite a few lovely paid subscribers who are bankrolling this adventure - allowing me to test and retest recipes until they are JUST right for you - and they’ve been asking me for MORE exclusive content. So since they’re the best, you’ve got it friends, there is MORE exclusive paid subscriber content coming at you - beginning with a VERY exciting recipe in my next newsletter. Have you ever wondered which gluten free all purpose flour performs the best in recipes? Me too, but goodness who wants to buy ALL THOSE FLOURS. Well, thanks to my paid subscribers I did, and I’ll share the results!
Now, back to food. I’ve been missing granola. Fresh granola is so different from the one in a bag at the store, crunchy, buttery, it really livens up a bowl of blueberries and yogurt or makes a seriously delicious topping for ice cream. It’s one of those recipes that gives more than it takes - the time you spend will seem disproportionately little compared to the delight you end up with.
Plus, most commercial brands are oat based. This year oats have been a PROBLEM for the gluten free crowd my friends. You can check out the stellar work by Gluten Free Watchdog on this subject.
So around here our pets the gerbils are eating up all the oats and I wanted an alternative for our breakfasts and snacks! I tried making a buckwheat version and well, just no. So onward to this grain free version. All the flavorful bits I love anyway, held together with butter or coconut oil and maple syrup (honey also works well here). I made mine with pretty small shredded coconut, as that’s what I had but next time I’ll try it with the big coconut flakes. I used cinnamon here but pie spice, nutmeg, chai spices all warm baking spices really would be lovely here. Also, feel free to mix up the nuts/seeds keeping the proportions in mind. If you have walnuts, or cashews go ahead and use those instead. Got all sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds? Feel free to make a nut free version.
Gluten Free Grain Free Granola
Yield: 1 Quart
1-1/2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes or shreds
3/4 cups sliced or chopped almonds
3/4 cups pecans
1/2 cup pistachios
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup real maple syrup
2 Tablespoon melted butter (for nondairy use melted coconut oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 300 degrees then line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl then stir to combine. Add maple syrup, melted butter and vanilla to a small bowl and stir until well combined. Â
Pour the maple syrup mixture over the nut mixture then mix well to coat. Spread onto prepared sheet pan then bake for 15-20 minutes or until almond slices and coconut chips are golden brown (don't let them get too dark) a couple of times. Â Cool completely on sheet pan before transferring to an airtight container
