Nut Free Granola Recipe

Nut-free, gluten-free, and vegan. Never buy expensive granola again!

Why make your own granola?

Homemade granola is cheap, healthy, and easy. You can customize it to your family’s tastes and use top-quality ingredients, without breaking the bank. My favorite organic store-bought granola costs $7 for 8 oz, which would typically be consumed within one meal by my family. Making a batch of this nut-free granola costs me about $3 for the same amount. We don’t eat it every day, but it makes a delicious and filling breakfast when everyone is in a rush. Try the recipe once and you won’t go back to store-bought.

How to make nut-free granola?

• Mix 2 cups of oats and 1/3 cup each hemp seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and shredded coconut
• Mix in 1/3 cup maple syrup, 1/2 cup melted coconut oil, and 1 tsp salt
• Spread the mix on a large cookie sheet on top of parchment paper
• Bake at 300 ^oF for 20 minutes, turn off the oven and let the granola sit for another 10 minutes
• Wait until it’s completely cooled to break into pieces

Health Benefits

You can supercharge your granola by selecting ingredients with a lot of nutritional value. This recipe already packs a punch, check out the health benefits of some of the components below.

Hemp seeds – Healthy fats, protein, and fiber

Chia seeds – Great source of omega-3’s, calcium, and iron

Pumpkin seeds – High-protein, rich in antioxidants, great for the immune system

Flax seeds – Improve digestive health, reduce inflammation, and promote heart health

Sesame seeds – Source of B-vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and protein

Recipe Tips

There was a time when I thought I could not make granola from home because it never came out quite right. While the recipe is super simple, there are some technical points you should stick to in order to get the perfect result every time. Here are a few tips that bumped my granola to the next level:

• When baking the granola, use a large cookie sheet. The thinner you spread it, the crispier it will be.
• The granola should be slightly soft when you take it out of the oven. Don’t panic and keep it in, you may end up overcooking or burning it.
• Let the granola cool completely before breaking it into pieces. It will be slightly soft when you take it out, but leave it on the counter for 30 minutes and it will get crispy.
• On a rainy or humid day, break the granola into pieces as soon as it is cooled and store in an air-tight container. If you leave it sitting too long it will reabsorb moisture.

How to Enjoy the Nut-Free Granola

The possibilities are endless! One of my kids snacks on it as is, without any milk. I prefer it with fresh fruit and almond milk or on top of yogurt. If I don’t have fresh fruit or berries on hand, I thaw frozen berries in the microwave and add them to the granola. It can also be combined with cereal to make the cereal more filling. Here are a few other additions to try:

• Dried cranberries, cherries, or blueberries
• Diced dry apricots
• Chocolate chips
• Freeze-dried fruit or berries