Grain Free Granola is simply the best tasting granola I’ve ever had! My husband and kids loved this recipe. My picky kid called it “delicious” and asked for more. The toddler eats this stuff by the handful, which is a great way to get him eating nuts and seeds, since I don’t have to worry about him choking so much like I do with whole nuts. I came up with this recipe a few years ago, after developing a sudden intolerance to oats. I won’t go into much detail, but something happened to my digestive system months after having my last baby and it’s taken me over a year to recover (thank you time and probiotics!). I’m feeling pretty great these days, but I still can’t seem to tolerate oats. I used to love having oatmeal every morning for breakfast, so this was a huge disappointment! Anyhow, that’s how this recipe was born. I wanted to make homemade granola, but without oats. But don’t worry, I still love my grains and carbs! 😉
How do you make homemade granola crunchy and get beautiful clusters?
I had noticed a lot of granola recipes call for egg whites, which apparently add to the crunchiness and “clumping” goodness. So I went out on a limb, and used some aquafaba! Aquafaba is just the liquid that is in a can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas). It works like egg whites! I was afraid to use it for a long time because it sounded gross to me, but now I am a believer. The nuts and seeds paired with the aquafaba and maple syrup make this grain free granola SUPER crunchy and full of large clusters without the need for any added oil.
How do you make Grain Free Granola?
It’s very simple to make. First, measure 5 tablespoons of the liquid from a can of chickpeas (aquafaba) and whisk until white and foamy in a large bowl. Add the maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Next, add the nuts/seeds and coconut to a food processor and pulse until a bit crumbly, but don’t over process into a paste or flour! Add the nuts/seeds/coconut to the wet ingredients and stir. Bake, let cool and break into delicious clusters. That’s it!
To save money, I like to get my nuts and seeds in the bulk section of my local discount grocery store. Trader Joes also has good deals on nuts/seeds. Make sure to use RAW nuts and seeds; it will not taste the same if you use roasted ones.
What should I eat with this grain free granola?
This granola is delicious on it’s own and my husband deems it the PERFECT hiking snack. It would be great to bring along camping as well, for breakfasts and snacks. Try it with non-dairy yogurt and fresh berries, or with non-dairy milk as a cereal or even on top of some coconut ice cream!
For another energy packed nut based snack, try these Date Sweetened No Bake Chocolate Bites. If you make this recipe, let me know how it goes! Rate it, leave a comment and tag a photo @nora_cooks_vegan on Instagram. Enjoy!
