This really is the best healthy granola recipe! It’s quick and easy to make, naturally sweetened with (just a little) maple syrup, and so flavorful and delicious. Healthy Quinoa Granola is our new favorite.
Granola is always a huge hit in my house. My boys love stirring it into their froyos, my husband loves snacking on it at work and I love sprinkling it on top of my Greek yogurt.
I have been on a little bit of a health kick of late. I’ve completely kicked out sugar from my routine, trying more healthy stuff that is whole and natural. To be honest, I’ve always been a healthy eater. I believe in eating everything in moderation. But, if you could swap some good stuff in your regular meals and snacks, why not?! In fact I enjoy some of the whole grains more than the less nutritious counterpart.
Since my family loves oats granola so much, and I love it, I set out to create a high-protein version filled with whole grain oats that’s gluten free too, quinoa, hearty nuts, dried fruits and natural sweeteners. For sweetness I add a touch of coconut sugar, and maple syrup.
The great thing about granola is that you can really mix in whatever ingredients you like. I added almonds and cranberries to this one, but you could easily swap out the almonds for another nut and the cranberries for something else. You can add an egg white too, that will ensure it all sticks well. If not, it’s totally fine. The taste will still be exactly the same, however, it will not cluster as well. I don’t mind granola like this as I don’t over eat. The clusters are great, but it adds up quickly. This is also gluten free granola by using gluten free oats.
You can serve this healthy quinoa granola over some yogurt with fruit added in, with milk, or just eat it by the handful. Not that I would know anything about that. After making this batch of granola, I have about a million different ideas for new granola recipes. But for now, I’ll go ahead and share this delicious one with you all.
HOW TO MAKE Healthy Quinoa GRANOLA:
Alright, let’s talk about how to make this healthy quinoa granola! Simply:
The first thing is to pop the quinoa in a large pan, so it gets toasty.
Toss together (most of) the dry ingredients. Oats, quinoa, almonds, and salt, that is. Save the coconut and any extra add-ins for later.
Add the wet ingredients. Whisk together the olive oil or coconut oil, coconut sugar or any sweetener that you prefer.Then drizzle it over the dry ingredients and give everything a good toss until it’s evenly mixed. Spread the mixture out evenly on a large parchment-covered baking sheet.
Bake. Let the mixture bake at 300°F for 25- 30 minutes. Then remove from the oven and give the mixture a thorough stir.
Add coconut. Then sprinkle the coconut evenly on top of the granola. (We’re doing this so that it’s just lightly toasted and doesn’t overcook.) And pop the baking sheet back in the oven for another 5 minutes, keeping a close eye on the coconut so that it doesn’t burn. Then remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack.
Let the granola cool. Wait for about 20-30 minutes, or until the granola has completely cooled to room temperature. Then use a spoon (or your fingers) to break it up into your desired size of clumps.
(Optional) Add your mix-ins. Then at this point, if you plan to add any chocolate chips, dried fruit, or other add-ins, go ahead and stir them in. And finally…
Enjoy!
You can either serve the granola right away. Or transfer it to a sealed container, and it should keep for up to 1 month.
- 1 cup qunioa (puffed or toast it a bit in a pan)
- 1 cup gluten free old fashioned oats
- 1 cup whole marcona almonds (or your preferred kind of nuts/seeds)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tbsp coconut oil (melted or you could add olive oil too)
- 3 tbsp agave nectar or maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar (if you don't have this substitue it with maple syrup)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- ½ cup unsweetened flaked coconut (or ½ cup shredded coconut)
- ⅓ cup unsweetened raisins
- ¼ cup unsweetened cranberries
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together oats, almonds, chia seeds, cinnamon and sea salt until evenly combined.
- In a separate mixing cup, stir together the melted coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract until combined. Pour the coconut oil mixture into the oats mixture, and stir until evenly combined.
- Spread the granola out evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Then remove from the oven, add the coconut, and give the mixture a good stir. Bake for 5 more minutes, until the granola is lightly toasted and golden.
- Take it out of the oven and transfer to a wire baking rack. Let cool until the granola reaches room temperature. Then stir in the dried fruit, chocolate chips or any other optional add-ins you might prefer.
- Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.
If you make this healthy quinoa granola, please do tag me on social media, would love to see. Tag me #foodfashionparty. Follow me on Instagram and Pinterest.
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