Something that surprised me when Julia cut out grains was how much “crunch” we lost. That texture experience took a big back seat and I missed it. Of course there are a lot of options being made now, but 8 years ago we had no croutons, no cereal, no crackers. I was desperate for that texture again.
This granola came out of that period of transition, and I first made it for a salad topping. In truth, that’s still what we use it for most but I also put it on top of my yogurt with berries, or on top of roasted carrots, in a small bowl with milk, or just by the handful as a snack.
This granola is sweet & salty, free from grain, gluten, dairy, eggs, and soy. Definitely not nut free but could be made so with the use of seeds and oats if grain isn’t a problem for you. It comes together in about 10 minutes and stores for months at room temperature – definitely worth the time investment to make it.
Grain-Free Lemon Basil Granola
Ingredients:
- 2 cups mixed seeds and nuts pecans, walnuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios etc etc
- 1/4 cup hemp seed
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/2 tsp fennel seed
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 cup dried, unsweetened cherries
- 1/2 tsp semi-coarse sea salt
- 2 Tbsp honey
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Put an oven-safe nonstick pan over medium heat on the stove and toast the mixed nuts/seeds, hemp seed and coconut until fragrant. Add the fennel seed, lemon zest, basil, salt and dried cherries, toss and continue to toast another 30-45 seconds. Add the honey, toss to coat and place in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and lay the granola in a thin layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil to cool. Break apart and store in an airtight container.
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