Over the past year, with the help of a holistic nutritionist, I’ve pretty significantly shifted my approach to food. The short story is: way more protein, way fewer carbs… and baaaasically no gluten. I’m not allergic to it, I just feel truly awful when I have more than a couple bites, so it’s less appealing as time goes on.
Initially, I was pretty sad to let go of many tried and true recipes that weren’t fitting my new approach. And I do still make some of those things for Ryan and the kids, but I’ve also been testing new and modified recipes to refill my “keepers” recipe binder with things I feel great eating. Here’s one that even Ryan gives two thumbs up!
Higher protein, good fats, lots of fiber, and the toasted coconut flakes and flax meal give it that great granola texture. There’s a lot of wiggle room to tweak your preferred amount of sweetener, too.
(Nearly) Grain-Free Granola
Modified from The Minimalist Baker
Ingredients
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 cups sliced raw almonds
• 1 cup raw pecans, chopped
• 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds (if roasted, add at the end)
• 2 Tbsp chia seeds
• 1/3 cup flaxseed meal
• Optional: 1 cup GF oats
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 4 Tbsp coconut or olive oil (3 if no oats)
• 1/3 cup maple syrup (or agave or honey)
• Optional: 1/4 cup dried fruit
Instructions
• Preheat oven to 325°.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the coconut, nuts, chia seeds, flax seed, oats, cinnamon, coconut sugar, and salt.
• In a small saucepan over low heat (or in the microwave), warm the coconut oil and maple syrup; pour over the dry ingredients and mix well.
• Spread the mixture evenly onto silpat or parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 20 minutes. Then remove from oven, add dried fruit and roasted sunflower seeds if using. Give everything a good stir.
• Increase heat to 340° and return to oven for another 4-6 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Rotate the sheets if needed.
• The coconut oil will help this granola crisp up nicely, but be sure to watch it carefully as it browns quickly.
• Once the granola is visibly browned and done cooking (about 27 minutes total for me), remove from the oven and let cool completely.
• Store in a container with an air-tight seal, and it should keep for a few weeks.
The Key to the House 