No Grain Granola

I mentioned in an earlier post that I once tried the Paleo Diet with success and that I would be filling this site with recipes that I used and continue to use. This is another one of those recipes. This is my cereal. I have not been diagnosed lactose intolerant, but I do feel sick after drinking milk. So I enjoy this granola with unsweetened almond milk. It is divine. And a very small serving is incredibly filling. And if you store the granola in an airtight container, it will keep for months. Even better.

The "flakes" are slivered almonds that have been combined with melted coconut oil, which after baking them for a while in the oven produces a very crispy flake-like consistency. The other nuts you may choose to use play the role of honeyed granola clusters. Combine it all with your favorite dried fruit and there you have it - your own perfectly customized cereal. You might not even go back to the boxed grain cereal variety after trying this.

I will list the ingredients I used. Feel free to follow this recipe word for word the first time. Next time, try  adding chopped or ground macadamia nuts to the slivered almonds and walnuts. Or, change out the dried cranberries for dried cherries or raisins. Pour in your imagination with each new batch.

Taste in Bloom Original Photo

Difficulty: Easy; Serves: 6; Prep time: 15 minutes + 1 hour baking time

Adapted from Paleo Parents
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds
• 1 cup chopped or ground walnuts
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup dates, diced 
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Preparation: 

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Combine nuts in medium mixing bowl.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together melted coconut oil, honey and cinnamon. Pour over the nuts and mix together well.

Spread the nut mixture evenly on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Check consistency before turning off the oven. If you wish for the nuts to be slightly browned, bake an additional 5-10 minutes. Much longer gives them a slightly burnt flavor. 

Remove cookie sheet from the oven and allow the nut mixture to cool. Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in the dried fruit. (Note: I do not include the dry fruit with the nut mixture in the baking process because they will harden like rocks. Mixing them with the nuts after the mixture has cooled keeps them chewy).

Store in an airtight container for up to several months.