From Sweet, Savory, and Free by Debbie Adler
MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS
The first time I made granola, I told my son that it was a new cereal he could eat in the morning. He looked dubiously at the bowl of toasted, caramelized oats, seeds, and dried fruit and said, “Where’s the cereal?” I realized then that he was so used to getting his breakfast from a box that anything else was suspect. That was the day I got an F on my mommy report card! After that, I was determined to make sure my son ate mostly unprocessed foods and more of the “real” stuff. The transition was not as hard as I thought it would be, and now this granola is his favorite thing to eat, any time of the day. The crunchy texture, the “popped” quinoa, which is a revelation in and of itself, and the natural sweetness of it all is a slam-dunk in deliciousness.
Must Have
1/2 cup yellow quinoa
3 cups gluten-free rolled oats
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup coconut nectar
1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
1/3 cup dried cranberries, dried blueberries, or raisins (you can use any dried fruit you desire)
Must Do
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a 15 × 10-inch jelly-roll pan with parchment paper.
- Add the quinoa to a medium skillet over medium heat and give the pan a few shakes until you hear the quinoa popping, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it cool in the pan for a few minutes.
- Mix together the oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and salt in a large bowl. Add the popped quinoa and make a well in the middle.
- Add the orange juice, coconut nectar, and vanilla extract, and stir to combine.
- Spoon the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread it around evenly.
- Bake until the oats are golden brown and toasted, about 25 minutes. Stir the mixture halfway through baking. Transfer the sheet from the oven to a wire rack, and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Mix in the dried fruit.
- Serve over yogurt, ice cream, or oatmeal with nondairy milk, or just eat it on its own. I also use it in my Trail Mix Macaroons.
SERVING SIZE: 1/2 CUP Calories 175; Total Fat 7.0g; Protein 6.5g; Cholesterol 0.0g; Sodium 20mg; Fiber 4.5g; Sugars 10.0g; Total Carbohydrate 33.0g
Haha! What does your son think about your new granola recipe? Totally loved it.
Sounds like a good recipe. But what the heck is coconut nectar? I’ve seen coconut oil, shredded coconut, whole coconut, coconut milk, coconut cream but I have not ever seen coconut nectar. Could you please clarify? Thank you!!
Good question! Coconut nectar is an unrefined, low-glycemic (supposedly nutrient-dense) sweetener with a unique flavor. It’s similar to agave nectar or maple syrup in consistency. I’ve see it at my local Whole Foods and you can also purchase it online. Hope that helps!