Do you know what I cherish the most, these days? A good, quick, simple breakfast. A meal that will be satiating and satisfying (in that hearty & "can't wait to eat it" kind of way).
I hate to join the ranks of "busy parents" but it's what I am. It's who I've become. It's who many of us become whether we wish to or not. I'm usually a slow, 'take your time, stay in the house for the whole day and eat whatever and whenever you want' kind of lady, but having young kids doesn't allow for that. You've got to get moving. You've got to get the kids off to school; fed, nourished, lunch- in- hand and homework checked. You've got to get yourself to work; fed, lunch- in -hand (or at least coffee -in-hand) and somewhat dressed & tidied. Who has time for a big, luxurious breakfast? NO ONE.
This granola is my little life-saver. Do you know what I dislike most about granolas? The sugar and the oats (sorry) and the puffed rice and other fillers that are often added to commercial granolas. This granola has the texture and the feel of those dreaded oat-filled, sugar-laden versions, but is completely grain free and very low in sugar (and it can be made completely sugar free without effecting the texture!). It doesn't rely on syrupy sugars or oil to provide that lovely crisp, clustery feel; this recipe uses egg whites for that and it's awesome.
Start off with 1/2 cup of raw almonds and 1/4 cup of coconut flakes and process in a food processor until they look like this. Almost a flour, but not quite there. This is going to help absorb the egg whites.
Combine the ground nuts with 3 cups of large flake coconut, chopped almonds & cashews and sunflower & pumpkin seeds. Stir in a pinch of sea salt and a hint of cinnamon (about 1 tsp).
Note: As long as you follow the general measurements in this recipe, you can change up the nuts and seeds to suit your needs (the coconut has to stay, however). If you're following a keto diet, for example, you'll want to reduce or avoid the cashews. I've provided a list of keto-friendly substitutes below the recipe.
Beat three large egg whites on high until stiff peaks form (a couple of minutes). Add your sweetener of choice & vanilla, and beat for another few seconds. I've gone with a few drops of liquid stevia and a pinch of maple syrup. This gave the granola a very subtle and perfect amount of sweet. If you're doing a keto diet, omit the maple syrup and up the stevia, just a pinch (I'd say 5 - 8 drops).
Dollop the egg whites onto the granola.
And stir to combine.
Spread the granola on two parchment-lined cookie trays and bake at 225F for about 1 hour. Make sure to stir it a few times throughout the baking process (maybe every 20 minutes).
Allow the granola to cool for about 15 minutes before mowing down (or transferring it to a storage vessel).
Enjoy this awesome granola with full fat plain yogurt, greek yogurt, coconut yogurt, coconut milk or cream, almond milk, cashew milk, regular milk or dry as a lovely, crunchy snack. SO MANY POSSIBILITIES.
Note: if you're a dried fruit kind of person, I recommend mixing it into the granola as you have a bowl, versus adding it to the storage jar, this will help to maintain that crispy texture.
Grain Free Granola (Paleo & Keto Friendly)
- 1 cup raw almonds, divided
- 3 1/4 cups large flake coconut, divided
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3 egg large whites
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup (optional)
- 3 - 5 drops liquid stevia (optional)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- In a food processor, combine 1/2 cup raw almonds with 1/4 cup coconut flakes, process until they are almost the consistency of flour, add this to a large mixing bowl with the remaining 3 cups of coconut.
- In a food processor, or by hand, roughly chop the remaining 1/2 cup of almonds with the cashews, add to the mixing bowl along with pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. Stir in the sea salt and cinnamon. Set this aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg whites on high until stiff peaks form.
- Add the stevia and/or maple syrup and vanilla, beat for another 15 seconds until combined.
- Fold the egg whites into the granola. Continue to gently fold until combined.
- Spread granola onto two parchment-lined cookie trays.
- Bake at 225F for 60 - 70 minutes, stirring about 3 times throughout the baking process.
- Allow the granola to cool for 15 minutes.
- Store in an air tight container (I used two 1L mason jars) for 5 - 7 days at room temperature.
Enjoy!
Keto Friendly Substitutes
Nuts and seeds make for a great snack on a keto diet, however, they can quickly use up your carb allowance if you're not careful! Here are a few low carb options to consider. Remember that the coconut in this recipe acts as our oatmeal - there is no substitute!
Nuts
- Pecans
- Brazil nuts
- Macadamia nuts
- Walnuts
- Hazelnuts
- Pine nuts
Seeds
- Hemp hearts
- Flax seeds
- Chia seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Pine nuts (while these guys are nuts, due to their size and price, they will work beautifully as a seed in this recipe!)
