Crispy Oil-Free Granola

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In this recipe, oats, almonds, coconut, walnuts, flax and dates come together to make a crispy and delicious start for a hardy plant-based breakfast.  You can eat it with total enjoyment and no guilt as the oil and large amounts of sugar usually found in granola have been eliminated without compromising the flavor.  Add some beautiful fruit with a yummy dairy-free milk or yogurt.  What could be better?

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Crispy Oil-Free Granola

Servings   – 24 (2/3 cup)
Prep Time  – 20-30 minutes
Cook Time –  2 hours
Passive Time  – 1-2 hours
Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients:

6 cups quick oats, use GF oats for gluten free

2 cups regular oats* —see Note

1/2 cup flax meal — ground flax seeds

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup unsweetened coconut

 

Blender Ingredients:

3/4 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 cup soft dates, pressed down to measure, 6 or 7 medjool

1/4 cup maple syrup or honey, opt.* —see Note

1 cup walnut pieces

1 1/2 tbsp vanilla

1 tbsp orange juice concentrate

1 1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp almond extract

 

Instructions:
  1. Preheat convection oven to 180 degrees and adjust shelves for two large pans. If you do not have a convection oven, see Note below for cooking directions.
  2. Mix together all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
  3. Fill blender cup with the remaining ingredients and blend until nice and creamy.
  4. Combine the blender ingredients with the dry. Complete the job by rubbing the granola together with the palms of your hands until all the moisture is evenly distributed and the large chunks are broken up.
  5. Spread evenly over two cookie sheets and bake for two hours, rotating the pans every 30 minutes.  I like to put it on parchment paper.
  6. After two hours, turn off the oven and leave the granola there to dry further.
  7. Once completely cooled, store in a sealed container.
Notes:

*If not using the maple syrup or honey, reduce the regular oats to 1 1/2 cups.

Without a convection oven only cook one pan at a time.  Cook at your oven’s lowest temperature overnight or for 6-8 hours. This is much easier than cooking and stirring at a higher temp. I recommend doing it in the daytime for your first batch so you can check to see how it is working in your oven.