Home made sugar free granola

I love granola as an alternative to cooked oatmeal for breakfast (or even to sprinkle on top of my cooked oatmeal!) and as little afternoon snack. I eat it with almond milk or Greek yoghurt. Depending on how big I want to make my portion I may also add slices of banana, fresh berries or grated apple. Most store bought granolas are loaded with sugar, however, and even the organic or “healthy” granolas I often find to be too sweet. So I prefer to make my own. I have tried several recipes and eventually created my own. It’s so simple, everyone can do it!

You will need:

  • 3 cups of raw rolled oats (for a gluten-free version, use gluten-free oats)
  • 1 cup of oat or spelt flour (for a gluten-free version, use gluten-free flour)
  • 1/2 cup sun flower seeds
  • 1/2 cup sliced raw almonds
  • 1/3 cup sesame seeds
  • 1/2 cup dried, unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup liquid honey
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil (sunflower or canola)
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup dried unsweetened cranberries (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F / 175 degrees C.

Combine all ingredients, except for the cranberries, in a bowl and mix until well combined. Place the mixture on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Spread out evenly.

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Bake for about 30 minutes, until granola is golden brown. Use a big spoon to turn the granola once during the baking time, spreading it evenly again. Make sure the granola doesn’t turn too dark, which will make it taste bitter.

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If you’re adding cranberries, add them to the granola now and let it cool on the baking sheet. Once cooled, transfer the granola to an airtight container (I like to use an old-fashioned tin cookie jar). It will stay fresh this way for several weeks.

Enjoy!