Paleo Granola (grain free, refined sugar-free)

Paleo Granola (grain free, refined sugar-free)

When going full Paleo, cereal is often missed.  I admit it, I used to be a cereal eater.  And then I tried granola and never looked back. It was so much more filling, and if I found a kind that was both tasty and packed with protein, I thought I’d hit the jackpot! I loved granola: on yogurt, in milk, with vanilla ice cream…but when I finally became conscious of how grains were making me feel I said goodbye to granola and the whole cereal aisle.  Transitioning to Paleo wasn’t as difficult for me as I expected. It was a new challenge, and I accepted it. Not without effort, cravings of the foods from my past, bloated life, and a little adjustment period while I found the clean foods that worked best for me and my hectic lifestyle. But I soon realized that I was and am only limited by my culinary creativity! From this perspective numerous delicious recipes have been tried in our kitchen, fed to our children, and created through trial and error. This granola recipe was adapted from a few of my favorite Paleo blogs and tweaked and refined to create my own take on it.  It has been raved about by our clients and family, and serves as gifts to teachers and friends.

This is a staple in our house. I make it almost every week! You
seriously have to try it – it hits that snack craving: crunchy, sweet,
salty all in one! One warning though: make sure you watch this the
first couple of times you make it so that it doesn’t burn. I found
that cooking times vary from oven to oven. Cook a little less for a
chewy texture; a little more for crunchier.

Paleo Granola

– 2c sliced almonds
– 1c pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
– 1c sunflower seeds
– 1c chopped pecans
– 1c unsweetened shredded coconut
– 2/3c raw, local honey
– 1/2c maple syrup
– 1/2c coconut oil
– 1T cinnamon
– dash of salt

Mix everything together and spread half of it on parchment paper lined
baking sheet. Cook at 325 degrees for 18-25 minutes (time varies
depending on oven), stirring occasionally. When golden remove from
oven and let cool. Continue to stir as it cools. Do same with second
half. Enjoy!

-Suzanne