Actually a No Added Sugar Granola

Why we love this no sugar granola recipe?

• Great sugar free granola for kids. You can even get them involved in making it. They will love the mixing of dry ingredients and pouring over the wet ingredients. 
• Only 1 g of sugar 7 g of fiber and 10 grams of protein
• Made from whole foods, no nasty stuff
• Better and healthier than store-bought granola because it has no artificial sweeteners and is made from whole foods 
• Healthy breakfast option

Ingredients 

• Rolled Oats -  are the main ingredient in this healthiest granola, and toasting them makes them so crunchy and delicious. Oats are full of fiber and complex carbs which add to the energy content of the meal as well. They are also a source of great minerals such as manganese, selenium and phosphorus. Try and purchase organic oats as these are not sprayed with glyphosate.
• Nuts - are also a must-have for a healthy granola. We tend to use almonds and hazelnuts as we tend to always have them at home. Sometimes it's both, sometimes it's just one of them but the thing they have in common is the fat and protein content. Almonds and hazelnuts are also a great source of manganese and vitamin E while hazelnuts also have a good amount of magnesium. If you are making granola for baby or smaller kids then you want to blend the nuts into tiny pieces to avoid any choking hazards. 
• Seeds - Although you can use pretty much any seeds you want for this granola (or not add them at all), we often tend to use sunflower seeds and flax seeds. Sunflower seeds are a great source of vitamin E and B1 while flaxseeds have a good amount of fiber and manganese.
• Coconut oil - Although it does contain saturated fats, the fatty acids composition is so that the energy from coconut oil is readily available in the body which is a great addition to any meal at the start of the day.
• Peanut butter - Brings the fats and the protein and we need a sticky component to mix with the coconut oil and make crunchy granola. You can use almond butter or hazelnut butter here. 
• Flavor enhancers - We used natural vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt to bring out the baked flavor of the granola and to make sure it is a great tasting granola with no added sugar but some natural sweetness

How to make a granola without sugar 

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C / 300°F
2. In a large bowl place the dry ingredients such as rolled oats, chopped and whole nuts (blended in a food processor for baby), flaxs seeds, sunflower seeds, cinnamon and sea salt.
3. Mix thoroughly.
4. In a small bowl add the wet ingredients such as melted coconut oil, peanut butter and vanilla extract and mix.
5. Pour the oil and peanut butter mixture over the rolled oats mixture and mix until it looks like everything is incorporated.
6. Spread the mixture evenly on a stainless steel baking tray and press down on it to stick.
7. Bake for 30 minutes. Make sure you check on it periodically so it doesn't burn. This will depend on your oven.
8. For muesli type granola - Once it comes out, let it cool and then mix it through with a wooden spoon.

Serve on some greek yogurt, top with some raw pecans and blueberries or fresh fruit for a decadent breakfast. You can also use it as a topping on smoothie bowls. 

For granola clusters - To make granola clusters you will need a binding agent that is more sticky. For me the best would be honey. So add 3 tablespoons of honey to the mixture once all the ingredients and already mixed. This will make the granola stick together. Once it is out of the oven, let it cool and then you will be able to bread larger granola pieces.

How to serve granola for kids? 

Granola for baby 

​This can be given to baby if you don't use honey and you make sure all the nuts are in tiny pieces so that they are not a choking hazard. You can serve it to them folded in some yogurt (like this banana yogurt, strawberry yogurt or mango yogurt) or even on its own. My kids like to pick at it as a snack. 

Granola for kids 

If your kids are passed the age of 4 and nuts don't represent a choking hazard, you can serve the granola without sugar to them the same way as you would for adults. Serve it on top of some greek yogurt and top with fresh fruit. 

Additions and Variations

If you add any more ingredients to this recipe you may need to add more oil and nut butter just to make the mixture sticky. However this should not be difficult and you can make the low sugar granola suit your needs by adding other healthy ingredients such as:

• Chia seeds
• Flax meal
• Hemp seeds
• Coconut flakes
• Pumpkin seeds 
• Mashed banana (with the wet ingredients)
• Applesauce (with the wet ingredients)
• Dried fruit like chopped up dates, prunes, figs, raisins 
• Sweeteners - use honey, maple syrup, agave syrup or date syrup

Storage 

• store in a dark place in an airtight container for a couple of weeks

FAQ