The Gluten Free Path

Posts Tagged ‘granola’

One of the first things you learn when going gluten free is that oats are something you have to give up for a time. If not forever, at least until you figure out whether or not they bother you. Then there is the whole kerfuffle over gluten free oats versus regular oats. If you have celiac disease you should not eat regular oats because they are almost always contaminated. If you are just gluten intolerant, either tested or just suspected, I’d suggest avoiding regular oats as well, at least for awhile. Follow your docs orders and your instincts that aren’t driven by hunger.

Anyway, once you know you can tolerate gluten free oats – it’s a trial process after you let your body heal – give this recipe a try. As with all my recipes, it’s just a guide. Add what you want, play around with it. There are few right or wrong ways to do something.

Note: In the picture below you will notice that the oil is safflower, not coconut. After some research I have decided to phase out safflower oil due to it’s high content of omega 6 oils. Those are the oils that induce inflammation. Neither Rick nor I need to induce anymore inflammation. Plus coconut oil seems to be much more nutritious and safer with high heat than any other oil.

What you’ll need:

1 1/2 cup of gluten free oats

1/2 cup of walnuts

1/2 cup of almonds

1/4 cup of sunflower seeds

2 tablespoons of flax seeds

3 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds

7 chopped Brazil nuts

2 tablespoons of flax meal

1/4 cup of allpurpose gluten free flour (I used Bob’s Red Mills)

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

1/4 cup of honey

1 teaspoon of coconut oil (I use raw) oil

Heat oven to 200 degrees(if for some reason your granola starts to darken before it starts to crisp, turn the temperature down). Chop the nuts. Add all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the wet ingredients in a separate small bowl. If your coconut oil is cold it won’t mix as easily with the honey. It has a melting point of 76 degrees or so. You only really need to warm it a touch and it will be much easier to use. Once everything is mixed it the respective bowls add the wet to the dry ingredients. Mix well.

Use a cook sheet or a broiler pan, line with foil. “Grease” the foil with safflower oil. Gently spread the granola mix over the foil. Place in the preheated oven. Turn/stir with a spatula every 15 minutes. Continue until the desired crispness or whatever is achieved!

Note: If you want to add dried fruit to the mix, add it after you toasted it. Otherwise it will burn. You can also use parchment paper instead of foil. I’ve used it and like the result.