Chunky Grain-Free Granola Sugar Free Dairy Free

Grain Free Granola

Chunky, Sugar-Free and Grain Free! Exactly what you want in a granola! Perfect for breakfast or dessert! 

I love the grain-free granola from Grandy Oats but although delicious, it costs $15.98/lb and that really doesn't work for a frugal budget! I figured I can make the same delicious grain-free granola for a fraction of that cost. This recipe is also healthier since it doesn't have as much maple syrup in it. Or, omit the sweetener entirely!

Adapted from Making Thyme for Health's recipe

• 2 cups chopped nuts (preferably soaked and dried. I used Pecans, Almonds, Cashews, Walnuts and Peanuts although peanuts aren't my favorite in this granola.  Also,don't soak the cashews and peanuts)
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds (preferably sprouted)
• 6 TB unsweetened dried coconut (also sold at WalMart)
• 1/2 cup Thick dried Coconut pieces (These are my favorite part! They add so much body and crunch to the granola. Soon, I will post a recipe which is entirely nut-free, using this kind of coconut!)
  
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional: skip if you want a plain granola taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 1/2 TB pure maple syrup or 1 1/2 TB Coconut Sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 325°F then line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, combine the chopped nuts, seeds, coconut, almond flour, cinnamon and salt. Pour in the melted coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Stir until everything is evenly coated with liquid.
• Spread the mixture out on the baking sheet. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. The nuts should appear golden and the granola should be fragrant. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before stirring. Transfer to a sealed container or bag and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Recipe makes about 7 cups. Serving size is equal to 1/2 cup. 

How I quit sugar and grains for good!

 

It was actually a dentist visit that changed my lifestyle. 

 

I grew up with a fair knowledge of health and which foods were ''good'' and ''bad''.
However, since I have direct French and Scottish ancestry which means I innately love bread (all breads!) and baked goods! Okay, so maybe I can't blame my heritage but it sounds better than just saying ''I love everything bready and sweet''. Lol.

 

    For years I struggled with keeping temporary promises to ''eat better''. 

I would write lists of foods I should abstain from, make 'solemn' promises 

food-wise, and actually feel more content when I had a cold because I kept to a strict healthy diet during the weeks I was ever sick.

But even when I made those promises I knew that they were not permanent choices, and that in a week or so I would be back to enjoying certain very delightful treats with my family or friends.

For me, sweets and treats are really a big part of family memories!

                        And goodness! We like to celebrate. Growing up, we celebrated 11 birthays each year!

    Fast forward through the years and I was doing much better keeping control of my eating habits. I didn't eat hard candy. My treats were dark chocolate or baked goods with whole wheat and honey or raw organic cane sugar. I thought I was doing great.

    THEN I went to the dentist and discovered I had, not just one dental cavity, but EIGHT. I will be honest, I was so discouraged I started crying right there in the dentist chair. I kept thinking "I eat so healthy''! I went home depressed but with new resolve. And thus also began my journey to learn about the damage phytic acid does on the teeth and bones. That's a long story for another time, but my diet turned completely gluten free, refined-sugar free, grain-free, starch-free, and for a while fruit-free (this is not always recommended but it helped me for a time). What did I eat? Lots of protein, vegetables, organic raw dairy, and coconut products!

    The crazy and awesome thing about this change was that it wasn't just a diet. It was a change of a frustrating lifestyle! I had not really been concerned with my weight but in just a couple months I went from 135 lb to 115 lb! My brain felt free, I felt confident about my body and because of this I want to share with everyone how easy it is to make the switch from processed, sugar loaded foods to all natural, unprocessed, and sugar free meals and treats! 

Oh- and the teeth? That sad year, the dentist had filled 5 of the 8 caries and warned me about the other 3. The next time I visited the dentist, they acted like nothing was wrong. I thought they were just being kind. I questioned them and they said my teeth were good! And they have been since then! 
     
  If you are interested in starting on this journey yourself, or have been following this kind of lifestyle for a while, I'd love to hear from you! Leave a comment or email me at mazzou91@gmail.com 

On this blog, I am so excited to share with you recipes for various diets including: gluten free, sugar free, grain free, unprocessed, nut free, dairy-free, and more! 

You can also follow me on Instagram @mazzoustyle  

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