Healthy Oil-Free Granola
Granola has always been one of my all time favourite things to have for breakfast, but also for a quick snack. But the problem is that most of what you buy in the stores - even health stores - are made with loads of oil and processed sugar to make them crunch and delicious - my recipe doesn't use either! Finally a healthy oil-free granola that you can use every day guilt free!
The secret to getting the crunch here is a combination of dates and tahini. It coats everything to help bind it together and give it an added crunch when baked.
What you’ve got below here is my base recipe - but make this healthy oil-free granola your own. Swap out whatever nuts you want, same with the dried fruits and spices. Feel free to add any other mix-ins you want. If you want you could use quinoa flakes along with the oats to boost up some extra protein as well. Go crazy!
I love to serve mine with several servings of fruit and some kind of a yogurt like mixture. Check out my Cashew Yogurt recipe for a perfect pairing and top with some homemade chia jam too! However you eat it smash this healthy oil-free granola into your face!
This healthy oil-free granola is the bomb. Natural sugars only - but packed with delicious flavours. If you want a crispy delicious granola that you can eat every day guilt-free then look no further!
- 4 cup Rolled Oats
- 1 cup Dates
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 cup Cashews (chopped)
- 1/2 cup Almonds (chopped)
- 1/2 cup Raisins
- 1/4 cup Dried Cranberries
- 1/4 cup Medium Coconut (unsweetened)
- 1/4 cup Pumpkin Seeds
- 1/4 cup Sunflower Seeds
- 1/2 cup Tahini
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup Water from Soaked Dates
First step - start boiling some water - then fire up the oven to 300 F. Grab two baking sheets and line them with parchment or silicon baking sheets.
Place your dates in a bowl and pour the hot water over them - this will help make ‘em smooth as silk when blending later. Set that mixture aside to soften while you do everything else.
Throw the oats into a big mixing bowl and dump all your spices on top. Toss with your hands and make sure those delightful spices get all over the oats. Now toss in everything else on the list except for the dates and tahini. Stir it all around so that it’s nice and mixed up. Make a little well in the middle of the mixture.
By now your dates should be nice and soft. Plop them into a food processor or high speed blender (I recommend the processor if you have one - easier to get the mixture out after). Splash in 1/4 cup of the water that the dates were soaking in and then add the tahini. Turn on your machine and it do its thing. Scrape down the sides every now and then if it needs it. Add a little more of the date water if you think it’s too thick. You want it to be a little runny.
Once that stuff is nice and smooth and mixed up pour it into the well you made with the granola mixture. Take a big spatula and stir it around well to make sure that everything gets coated with that awesome mixture. Make sure to dig up around the bottom of the bowl to make sure that stuff gets mixed up too.
Once everything is well combined toss it onto the two baking sheets and spread it out as thin as you can. Pop those babies into the oven for 15 minutes. Take ‘em out and with a spatula mix break it up (it’ll start to cook into a big chunk) and spread it all around. Bake another 15 minutes and take out and mix it up again. Let it cool on the baking sheets.
Store it in an air-tight container. It’ll keep fresh easily for two weeks, but if your family is anything like mine there’s no way this beautiful stuff is going to last that long.
Serve this anyway you want - throw it on your yogurt - put it on some ice cream. Personally I like to make a bowl of fruit salad and toss it onto that for breakfast. However you like it SMASH IT INTO YOUR MOUTH!
Servings 14
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 263kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 12.2g19%
- Saturated Fat 2.2g12%
- Sodium 14mg1%
- Potassium 329mg10%
- Total Carbohydrate 34.8g12%
- Dietary Fiber 5.4g22%
- Sugars 12g
- Protein 7.3g15%
- Calcium 5 mg
- Iron 17 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Feel free to swap out the nuts, dried fruit, or anything else out for whatever you prefer. Swap out the spices as well based on what flavours you're aiming for. Have fun!
