Gluten-Free Chunky Granola
Let me just start by saying that I LOVE granola. And in case you’ve been wondering about the name for my blog, it’s a reference to an old nickname of mine growing up. One of the hardest things over the years about being Gluten Free: encountering those big glass jars in coffeehouses filled with their house-made granola. I’ve concocted a number of different versions over the years. It lends itself well to my style in the kitchen… I prefer pours and splashes, pinches and spoonfuls over scientific measurements. Unlike a souffle, granola is more art than science. So don’t be afraid to experiment according to your tastes. That is all part of it’s rugged, satisfying beauty.
This time I decided to write down one of my favorite variations… it makes a very satisfying, fragrant and chunky snack. Dainty starchy sweets just don’t do it for me… which is why giving up oats was such a hardship. After having a bad reaction to GF oats a few years ago, I hadn’t tried them again until recently when standing in the Gluten-Free aisle at New Seasons, I picked up the GF Oats and read and saw that they were ELISA Tested. This convinced me to give them another shot. I’ve been really craving something something chewy and hearty lately… the perfect fiber-rich topping for coconut milk yogurt!
Recipe:
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl with a big spoon:
- 6 Cups GF Oats (like Bob’s Red Mill or Gifts of Nature)
- 1 1/2 Cups Raw Buckwheat Groats
- 1 C Raw Walnut Halves, broken by hand into large pieces
- 1 C Coconut Flakes (I like the large flat flakes best)
- 1/2 C Raw Sunflower Seeds
- 1/2 C Raw, Unhulled Sesame Seeds
- 6 Tbs Chia Seeds
- 3 Tbs Cinamon
- 2 tps Ground Celtic Sea Salt
Whisk wet ingredients into a small sauce pan on low heat until well combined:
- 3/4 C Raw Local Honey (if you don’t eat honey you can sub Agave Nectar)
- 3/4 C Real Maple Syrup Grade B
- 1/2 C Virgin Coconut Oil*
- 1/4 C Expeller Pressed Oil (Canola, Sunflower, Grapeseed, Safflower)
- 1/4 C Almond milk (coconut or rice work too)
Pour the warmed wet-ingredient mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well with a big spoon. Spread batch evenly between two ungreased 9×13 cookie sheets. I use the silicone mats on my cookie sheets, but it isn’t necessary at all. Bake sheets at 325 F for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and stir granola to provide even browning. Place trays back in oven with bottom tray now on the top. Bake again at 225 for 12 minutes. If you want to add any dried fruit, add now. Bake another 10-12 minutes at 225 F. Turn off oven, open door and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour. This will make the granola harden enough to be chunky. When ready, break into chunks and put in storage containers. YUM!!
*If you are like my husband Ian and don’t like coconut, leave out the coconut flakes and substitute in Soy-Free Earthbalance for the Coconut Oil. If you do this, you probably won’t need to add the salt.
Hello Dana:
I am glad I found your blog!. I feel a bit identified with you since I also have a thyroid condition (recently diagnosed), digestive issues and iron deficiency. The thing is that I don’t have exactly the symptoms of hashimoto but as you said more on ” the D side of things”. I was recently diagnosed, and my acupuncturist recommended go wheat-free and dairy-free, but it has been more than two months and there is no improvement. So I wondered If I should go gluten-free. Anyway, I wanted to ask you (if it’s not too much) what kind of thyroid condition you have?. and of course thank you!!