Grain Free Granola – Paleo Granola Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is paleo granola made of? ›

This granola skips the oats (no wheat allowed on paleo), instead using 2 whole cups of nuts and 1 1/4 cups of seeds to compensate. For the sweetener, we go with honey, which produces a granola with nice clusters, and coconut oil for the fat.

Grain free granola is made from a base of nuts and seeds instead of oats. This version is bound with coconut oil and nut butter, and it's flavored with cinnamon and vanilla.

Grain-free granola is indeed healthy. One of the critical nutrients in granola is the fiber that it provides. Grain-free granola still provides a hefty serving of fiber. Nutnola from Square Root is actually higher in antioxidants than traditional grain granola.

Baking time: Increase the baking time for your granola. The longer you bake it, the drier and crunchier it will become. Keep a close eye on it to avoid burning, and stir it occasionally during baking to ensure even toasting.

Grain-free usually features nuts and seeds rather than oats. These ingredients are sources of fiber and protein, both of which slow digestion and curb post-meal glucose. Fiber also increases the production of short-chain fatty acids in the gut. High levels of SCFAs are associated with improved insulin sensitivity.

Granola provides protein and important micronutrients like iron, vitamin D, folate, and zinc. Serving sizes vary from 1/4 cup to a full cup depending on the type and brand you choose. Granola can also be an excellent source of: Vitamin B.

Gluten-Free: Going grain-free means avoiding gluten, making this granola suitable for individuals with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease. Nutrient-Rich Ingredients: Our recipe features nutrient-dense ingredients like seeds, nuts, and coconut flakes, providing essential vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.

Enter muesli, granola's delicious but slightly-less-addictive cousin. Like granola, it's made with a combo of rolled oats, nuts and seeds, and dried fruit. But unlike granola, which is baked with added fat and sugar, muesli is uncooked—and it doesn't have any extra stuff added to it.

Why are Oats not Paleo-friendly? Although oats are a non-fattening healthy food for a more mainstream diet, oats do contain anti-nutrients that the Paleo diet aims to avoid such as phytic acid, lectins, and avenin. Not only do oats contain a few anti-nutrients, but they are also often contaminated with gluten.

Which One Is Better for Breakfast? Both oatmeal and granola make for a healthy, nutritious breakfast, but the winner for us is granola—the added nuts, seeds, and dried fruits give you a source of fiber and healthy fats that oatmeal can't quite compete with.

What is the healthiest way to eat granola? ›

Yogurt. A guide for how to eat granola would not be complete without including yogurt! Yogurt and granola can be eaten in the morning for breakfast or in the afternoon for a wholesome snack. Parfaits are wildly simple to throw together and pack a lot of nutrition into the day when combined with fresh fruit and berries.

For example, a granola that contains higher amounts of carbohydrates and added sugars but less protein and fiber may be more likely to spike your blood sugar.

Check the ingredient list, avoiding products that list sugar or sweeteners —including natural sweeteners like honey — within the first few ingredients. Instead, the first few ingredients should be whole foods, such as oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. You may also want to look for varieties high in protein and fiber.

Clumpy Granola Method: Add Egg White

About this method: According to Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen, “Nothing glues like protein.” While there are many granola recipes that include an egg white, I got this tip from the Big Cluster Maple Granola recipe in The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.

Advantage homemade. Both granolas have whole oats as their main ingredient, but the Kellogg's is high in refined sugar and contains palm oil. The homemade version contains protein-rich pecans and uses only a small amount of honey, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. It took me an hour to make granola from scratch.

It's a toasted mixture of rolled oats, nuts, and a sweetener like sugar or honey, though it can also include other grains, puffed rice, dried fruit, seeds, spices, and nut butters. Yet, some ingredients — such as chocolate, oils, and syrups — may be high in added sugars and fats.

But the best bet is to choose a granola with minimally processed sweeteners such as maple syrup, honey and agave. Dried fruit will also add fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

The base is made from rolled oats and sliced almonds, but you could certainly add more. Raisins, currants, other types of nuts, dried figs, cherries … the list can go on. Think of homemade granola as pantry spring cleaning. Have a tiny bit of nuts left in a bag at the back of your pantry?