I've heard it said many times, and I'm going to parrot it now...
...granola is a dangerous food to have around.
With its crunchy texture, sweet taste, and semi-unearned reputation of being 'good for you', what's to stop anyone from eating the delicious food with abandon, only to realize that after four or five handfuls, you're actually 900 calories deep?
I absolutely love granola, but am often a victim of the above, leading to nothing short of a food coma midway through the day. Not good.
Yummy cluster!
With all of the sugar packed into some of the 'best' recipes out there, it pretty much ends up being a dessert for someone like me. Frankly, by that point, I'd rather have a brownie.
It's interesting what some people consider 'healthy' anymore. I'll often click on recipes deemed as such, only to then utter a few choice phrases under my breath about the creator's intellect, or lack thereof. One cup of sugar does not a healthy recipe make!
Then again, there are those that think oats are unhealthy, so to each their own, right?
Anywho, as always, one of my primary goals with this recipe, aside from making quinoa the base, was to keep both the sweetener and the fat at a minimum without sacrificing the taste. Lucky for me, I accomplished this in a relatively short period of time, compared to the way some other recipes go, making for one happy girl!
Everyone in the house enjoys this recipe, though the girls balked a bit at pairing it with milk, I'm guessing because the texture gets a bit soggy that way. Hands or yogurt were totally the preferred vehicles!
Maple Cinnamon Quinoa Granola (Vegan, Nut-Free)
Ingredients
- ¾ c. quinoa rinsed, drained, and air-dried a bit
- ¼ c. raw pumpkin seeds
- ¼ c. unsweetened grated coconut
- 2 T. raw sunflower seeds
- ¼ t. sea salt
- ¾ t. cinnamon
- 2 ½ T. maple syrup
- 1 T. olive oil
- ⅓ c. raisins optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium bowl, mix the oil, syrup, salt, and cinnamon until well combined.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients MINUS the raisins until everything is coated well.
- Pour the mix onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, spreading it out into a thin layer.
- Bake 25 minutes, stirring once about halfway through.
- Sprinkle the raisins atop the granola and let it all cool on the baking sheet for another 15 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Adapted from this recipe
Notes:
After rinsing and draining the quinoa, let it sit and air-dry for just a bit to remove any excess water.
Feel free to use different seeds, nuts, or dried fruit in place of any of the ones used, if you prefer.
What food do you find hard to stop eating?
Shared with: Allergy-Free Wednesday
June
Love this granola! Thank you for sharing.
June
Lauren
Thanks June, glad you liked it!
Patti
Hi again, Lauren
Thanks for this awesome recipe!! Love it!! It's delicious, crunchy & nourishing. Makes a satisfying snack.
Congratulations on your new 'bundle of joy'! Glad that the birth went well for you, that both of you are ok & that your hubby could make it for the birth.
Lauren
Thanks so much Patti! 🙂
Tammy
Just out of curiosity, what is the purpose of rinsing and drying the quinoa? I've seen this before in a few other recipes. This looks great, btw! Maple and cinnamon are right up my alley.
Lauren
Thanks Tammy! Quinoa has a component on it (saponins?...) that makes it bitter-tasting, and rinsing helps wash it off. 🙂
Patti
Hi Lauren. Thank you for such amazing recipes! I'm looking forward to giving this a try. Yum!
Stupid question, but ... Is the quinoa to be boiled/cooked before using it in this recipe?
Lauren
Thanks Patti! Not at all stupid, there's no cooking required for the quinoa, just rinse, drain, and let it air-dry in your sieve a bit. 🙂
Celeste
This looks yum. How many cups does this recipe make?
Lauren
Thanks! I've never measured it, but just judging by the ingredients, about 1 1/2-2 cups. 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It looks so super crunchy!
dawn
can't WAIT to try this!!!!
Lauren
Thanks Dawn! xo