Make: Coconut-Maple Quinoa Granola
Photo by Becca Boyd
I have to admit that sometimes I can be a tad judge-y when it comes to omission diets. There are tons of books touting dairy, gluten or sugar avoidance with amazing results guaranteed. I’ve consistently maintained a solid position on team “everything in moderation.” But while I still stand by my position, I’ve recently made a major modification out of necessity: my exclusively breast-fed baby hates when I eat dairy.
So here’s my new stance: Omission diets can be a lifesaver for certain people, if and when they actually help you feel better (or they help your baby not to scream like a fighting raccoon). This quinoa granola is a wonderful, high protein start to your day whether you’re avoiding dairy (or gluten, if you use gluten-free oats) or not. Serve up about a third of a cup (granola is high calorie, so watch your portions, please) with fresh fruit and almond milk for a quick and naturally sweet meal.
Recipe: Coconut-Maple Quinoa Granola
Makes about three and a half cups; serves 10
1 c. quinoa
1 c. old fashioned oats
1/2 c. unsweetened coconut
1/4 c. ground flaxseed
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
2 egg whites
1/3 c. maple syrup
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Method
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or spray lightly with nonstick spray.
2. Combine quinoa, oats, coconut, flaxseed, cinnamon, and allspice in a large mixing bowl. In a smaller bowl whisk together the applesauce, egg whites and maple syrup until smoothly combined.
3. Add wets to dries and mix until evenly combined. Spread across the surface of the baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.
4. Bake for about 1 hour, stirring once or twice, or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool without touching at least 30 minutes (until completely cooled). Break into clumps and store in an airtight container, up to 1 week. Granola should be very crunchy – if it’s not crunchy after cooling completely, feel free to put it back in the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes.
Per serving (serving size is 1/3 cup): 187 calories, 4.3 fat grams (including 1.6 grams saturated fat), 73 milligrams sodium, 239 milligrams potassium, 31 grams carbs, 4 grams dietary fiber, 8 grams sugar, 6 grams protein.
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Becca Boyd is a wife and mom who creates healthy and delicious recipes in her West Chester kitchen. She blogs about them on her website, Home Beccanomics.
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