Nut Free Paleo Granola
Granola tends to be one of the most commonly thought of “health foods”. There’s a reason they call us health-conscious, naturally-minded individuals “crunchy”. However, public perception aside, most granolas are a far cry from healthy! They usually have tons of added sugar and are very high in calories. On top of that, it’s near impossible to find nut free granolas, let alone nutritious ones. That’s why I created this Nut Free Paleo Granola. You can find the recipe below or purchase it in a recipe bundle with in my Etsy shop here!
I avoided all peanuts and tree nuts to make it school-safe and more accessible to the food allergy community. (Coconut is botanically not a nut.) Usually, granola also contains oats, but I omitted them out in this recipe. It’s not that grains and carbs are bad, but I wanted a more balanced macronutrient profile.
A serving of this Nut Free Paleo Granola contains only 7 grams of carbohydrates (3 from fiber and 1 from sugar), 13 grams of fat, and 5 grams of protein. For reference, a typical granola of the same serving size has more than double the carbohydrates, a tenth of the fat, and half the protein. Such a nutrient makeup will more than likely cause a blood glucose (sugar) spike. When someone consumes carbs with little fat or protein, it causes a rise in blood sugar. This leads to an increase in the hormone insulin which lowers blood glucose rapidly and leaves you craving more carbs. And the cycle continues. Therefore, I strategically designed this recipe to be high in healthy fats and plant-based protein to go along with the carbs.
How to Make Nut Free Paleo Granola
Nut Free Paleo Granola is very easy to make! Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees and lining a 9×13 baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, cacao nibs, shredded coconut, chia seeds, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well.
Then use a small bowl to whisk the coconut oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon extract. (You can substitute pure vanilla extract if you don’t have cinnamon.) Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl and stir until all the dry ingredients are coated.
Spread the granola evenly on the baking sheet, spreading it out as much as possible. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the granola begins to turn slightly golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before transferring to a jar for storage. It won’t be very crisp when it comes out of the oven–this will happen as it cools.
I hope you enjoy this Nut Free Paleo Granola! Be sure to leave a rating below and let me know what you think in the comments. As always, tag @roots_and_rosemary in your Instagram photos so I can see your beautiful creations!
More Recipes to Try
- Vegan Nut-Free Granola
- Nut-Free Vegan Baked Oatmeal
- Vegan No-Bake Energy Bites
- Blueberry Overnight Oats
Nut Free Paleo Granola
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw sunflower seeds
- ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed
- ¼ cup cacao nibs unsweetened
- ¼ cup shredded coconut unsweetened
- 1 Tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Celtic sea salt
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil melted
- 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix the sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, cacao nibs, shredded coconut, chia seeds, sea salt, and cinnamon.
- In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk the coconut oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon extract.
- Pour the liquid ingredients into the large bowl and stir until all the dry ingredients are coated. Spread the granola evenly on the baking sheet, spreading it out as much as possible.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until the granola begins to brown slightly. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before transferring to a glass jar for storage.