Healthy Almond Crunch Granola

Alisa Fleming ~ My husband doesn’t eat almonds. Fortunately, he isn’t deathly allergic, but he is adamant that they do not agree with him. Yet, he insists on continuing to purchase a trail mix that contains almonds. He picks them out, places them in a bowl, and within a week I have enough almonds to make granola!

Obviously, I’m not complaining. Almonds are rich in vitamin E, an excellent source of magnesium and manganese, and a good source of fiber, copper, phosphorous and riboflavin. They are also a great source of meat-free protein without all of the saturated fat (just 1 gram per serving).

Beyond basic nutrition, the versatility of almonds in recipes has made them a darling of the special diet community. Within seconds they can be pureed into a creamy butter for dairy-free richness or ground into “flour” for easy gluten-free baking. But even with all of their potential uses, I usually turn to simple, traditional nutty recipes like this granola.

Healthy Almond Crunch Granola

 

Print

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

Skip the yogurt – I like to spinkle granola atop a thick dairy-free banana breakfast shake. Recipe adapted from, and photo by the Almond Board of California.

Author: Alisa Fleming

Serves: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup slivered or sliced almonds
• 2-1/2 cups rolled oats (use certified gluten-free oats for gluten-free)
• 1 cup flaked unsweetened coconut
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ cup honey (can substitute agave nectar for vegan)
• ¼ cup almond or melted coconut oil

Instructions

1. Spread the almonds out on a baking sheet with high sides – I like to line it with a silicone baking mat for more even cooking and easier removal.
2. Place the baking sheet in a cold oven, and turn it on to 350ºF. Toast the almonds for 9-11 minutes, checking in once or twice to stir.
3. Remove the almonds from the oven, but leave the oven on.
4. Combine the toasted almonds with the oats, coconut, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
5. Whisk the honey with the oil and drizzle it over the almond-oat mixture, tossing to evenly coat.
6. Spread the granola out on your baking sheet, and bake it for 20 to 30 minutes, giving it a stir half way through.
7. Remove the granola from the oven, loosen it from the pan with a spatula, and let it cool.

Notes

This recipe is Optionally Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy free, Egg free, optionally Gluten free, Peanut free, Soy free, and Refined Sugar free.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: ½ cup

3.2.2704