Gluten-Free Granola (Grain Free)

This granola is not only gluten-free, it's completely grain free. I developed this recipe as part of a special diet for my husband, but we love it so much it's on regular rotation.

Why We Love This Grain-Free Granola

We make this grain-free granola because my husband was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) some years ago and after treating the condition with medications, we began working with an integrative specialist to better understand the affects of diet on the condition. During a flair up, we experimented with switching to a grain-free diet to try and reduce inflammation. This is our experience with UC and I suggest speaking to your specialist before making dietary changes.

If, however, you love your grains, try my almond butter granola with maple or a toasted sesame granola that will rock your tastebuds!

This Granola is Gluten-Free and Grain-Free

A gluten-free diet requires eliminating only grains with gluten from your diet - you can eat grains that don't contain gluten, such as quinoa or gluten-free oats.

Grain-free, on the other hand, requires eliminating all grains from your diet. You can't eat wheat, bulgur, spelt, farro, quinoa, rice, millet while grain-free.

Sources: Eating Well

Gluten-free Granola Ingredients

Nuts. I use about 2 cups of nuts in this recipe and love almonds and walnuts or pecans. If you have a favourite, use that. Or simply use two cups of one variety.

Buckwheat. I bulk up this grain-free granola with nutritious buckwheat groats. They are super cheap and perfect in granola. Despite their name, they are gluten and grain free; in fact they are more closely related to rhubarb.

Coconut flakes.I use flakes for their texture and to bulk up my granola. You can use shredded coconut too.

Maple syrup and sugar. Use them combined or simply use the maple syrup if you are trying to reduce your sugar intake.

Chia seeds. Optional but little nutritious powerhouses. If you are trying to save some bucks, leave them out.

Nut butter. This is where we get our nutty flavour without spending a fortune on raw nuts. By combining nut butter with our liquid mixture, the flavour coats the entire granola.

Sunflower oil. I prefer sunflower oil but you can use olive oil or coconut oil. If you are using coconut oil, warm it with the nut butter and maple in a plan over low heat. Stir until the three are well combined.

Seeds. Instead of spending our mortgage on nuts, we are using seeds. They are delicious, so why not? I love sunflower and pumpkin seeds here.

How to Make Grain-Free Granola

You'll find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Step 1.

Preheat oven to 170 degrees c (350 degrees F). Combine the first nine ingredients into a large bowl.

Step 2.

Now, go ahead and whisk together the maple syrup, oil and nut butter until smooth and stir into the dry ingredients until well combined. Make sure everything is well coated in the wert mixture.

Step 3.

Spread your granola onto a baking tray - use two if you need to - and bake in the oven for 20-minutes. Carefully, remove from the oven and stir in the sunflower seeds. Return to the oven for about 5-7 minutes or until your granola is dark golden.

Step 4.

Remove from the oven, stir in any dried fruit you want to use, and allow to cool completely and crisp up before storing in an air-tight container for up to 3 weeks.

Add-Ins

I love a smattering of dried blueberries but you can add what you like. Try these alternative add-ins.

Storage

Once completely cooled, store your granola in an air-tight container away from direct sunlight for up to 3 weeks.