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You’re going gluten-free, possibly dairy-free as well. It’s discombobulating. What on earth are you going to have for breakfast other than cereal?! Let me help: how about a homemade gluten free granola?
It’s super easy, vegan and sugar free as well as distinctly lacking in gluten.
Brilliant news! You now have something tasty, nourishing and simple to start your day. Oh, and this granola is really healthy. Read on to find out more…
A Gluten- and Dairy-free Breakfast
Oh golly. It is hard to change the habits of a lifetime, isn’t it? And it’s amazing how tied we are to the routine and comfort of particular food at particular times of day.
I hear you. Breakfast can be particularly tough as it’s first thing in the morning, people are in a rush to go to school or work and we all want things to be simple. I certainly missed toast to begin with (Pssstttt. If you still want toast, check out my GF bread recipe)
Fortunately, with a bit of forethought and preparation, breakfast can be one of the healthiest and easiest points of your gluten- and dairy-free day. Or just your day if you’re here to find out more about cooking rather than a Free From lifestyle.
I came across a version of this recipe in Steven Lin’s book, The Dental Diet. I was already aware of the connections between wholefoods, a healthy, varied diet and the microbiome.
Yet to discover that all of these also have an effect on the mechanics of our jaws, our teeth and by extension our whole bodies… well, that completely blew me away.
Steven Lin’s interview on Rangan Chatterjee’s Feel Better, Live More podcast is well worth a listen. The emphasis upon crunchy and chewy foods as important cornerstones of good dental health and jaw development is very striking.
Hence this delicious, crunchy – and did I mention? – gluten-free granola. Go on. Not only are you helping your microbiome but your teeth will be grateful too.
What’s So Good About Cacao?
Lin’s recipe has cinnamon as the main flavouring for the granola. I thought I’d go for a somewhat indulgent feel to what is a superlatively good-for-you breakfast; cue cacao powder.
NB What’s the difference between cacao and cocoa? The former is made from cacao beans that have been harvested, fermented and dried but not roasted.
Once the beans are roasted, you’ve got cocoa. If you prefer, feel free to use cocoa instead of cacao for this recipe… there is a price difference that might be an important consideration.
But let’s get back to the flavour of this granola… imagine very dark chocolate with a hint of cinnamon. Proper grown up stuff.
The cacao goes all gooey and rich and delicious when it mixes with the coconut oil, before coating all the seeds and almonds that are the base of this breakfast.
In addition to this ludicrously great way to start the day (c’mon. You are worth this sort of spoiling.) cacao has a raft of health benefits such as:
- Improving your mood
- Supporting your microbiome – feeding those ever-so-important bacteria that define our very humanity
- Helping your metabolism
- And it’s chock full of good stuff like iron, magnesium, zinc and copper. Hurrah!
There’s probably more, but feel free to go forth and research further. In fact, I’d very much encourage you to do so with anything that has to do with your health and food choices.
Going gluten-free is a big step; make sure it’s the right one for you and that you’re setting your body up in the best way possible.
But I digress. (I will do this often)… back to The Granola!
How Do I Eat This Homemade Gluten Free Granola?
You can eat it in several different ways. I sometimes have it on its own as a snack, kind of like a grown-up trail mix.
For breakfast, I tend to have chopped bananas and a smoothie with granola sprinkled liberally on top.
I’ve also enjoyed it on sweetened porridge as an alternative to nuts. The granola is also delicious with yoghurt (dairy-free / vegan yoghurts if that’s your need) or simply with milk (whichever sort suits your body best).
This granola is ever so versatile and really is a staple for our breakfast table. It’s not much effort for a big batch of guaranteed easy, healthy deliciousness. Have a go and let me know what you think.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is granola not vegan?
Although I say “vegan” here, this also covers all you dairy-free readers out there. But to answer the question… it depends on your granola. Some recipes involve butter and if you’re eating out, you just don’t know what the cook may have used.
So, to be sure, stick to a homemade recipe, like this one; it’s guaranteed to be vegan and full of goodness!
Is grain free granola good for you?
In a word yes. As is a low sugar granola with grains (such as oats) if your body can tolerate it.
As a family, we find that the protein-packed seeds, nuts and coconut nature of this recipe seems to give us a better and longer lasting energy. It’s also definitely gluten-free, which makes us happier all round.
Just what the jaw and gut ordered.
What is homemade gluten-free granola made of?
Again, it all depends. Although you might be able to tolerate oats, many a store-bought oaty granola will have a wheaty dusting of sorts to give it crunch. So always check the labels!
You can make a gluten-free granola with gluten-free oats or enjoy a recipe like this one that is full of nuts, seeds and other goodness.
I hope this all helps! Try it and let me know what you think.
Homemade Gluten Free Granola Recipe || (Easy, Vegan & Sugar Free!)
This delicious, oat-free cacao granola became a breakfast staple soon
after we stopped eating gluten.
Out with the Weetabix and Shredded Wheat and in with this multi seed, protein-packed, not-too sweet granola.
This healthy and vegan (for me, I read that as “dairy-free”) granola recipe is easy to make in batches, so you’ve always got some ready for breakfast.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Flaked Almonda
- 1 1/2 cups Flaked Coconut
- 1 1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds
- 1 1/2 cup Sunflower Seeds
- 1 cup Cacao Nibs
- 3 Tbsp Cacao Powder
- 2 Tbsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup Coconut Oil
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (160 degrees C in a fan oven)
2. Line an oven dish with baking paper
3. Mix dry ingredients together in the oven dish
4. You can either melt the coconut oil and stir it through the dry ingredients or put blobs on the top of the granola, stick it in the oven and then stir it through after 5 minutes when it has melted
5. After 1/2 an hour, take the granola out and stir so it doesn't burn on top
6. Put in for another 30 minutes ( 1 hour in total in the oven)
7. Let the granola cool and then store in air tight containers e.g. mason jars or preserving jars. Tupperware will also be fine..
8. I have no idea how long this stays fresh for as it is eaten well before it goes off!
9. Enjoy with smoothie, fruit, milk or porridge.
Notes
Those with a sweeter tooth might want to add 2/3 cup of maple syrup to the melted coconut oil. However, we find the sweetness from fruit or smoothies is enough for us.
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