Oat, Nut & Flax Granola

Allow me to vent for a moment.

There is nothing, and I mean nothing, I hate more (right now) than browsing the internet for gluten-free recipes and ending up with Paleo diet recipes on my search feed.

I'm sorry. I'm just not a fan. If there's anything I learned from my Nutrition classes - and I learned A LOT, mind you - it's that any diet, and I mean ANY diet, that cuts out entire food groups is bound to lead to T-R-O-U-B-L-E.

End of rant.

Thank you.

Trying to eat grains while on a gluten-free diet can be challenging. But that doesn't mean you should cut out grains altogether just to seemingly make life easier. When you cut out whole grains, you're also cutting out fiber and essential vitamins and minerals than can be difficult to get from other foods. Be smart and safe about where your gluten-free grains are coming from and make sure they're certified if you suffer from a severe allergy or Celiac's.

I have neither, my gluten intolerance is not severe, so I don't spend the extra money on gluten-free oats. This, however, is a personal choice. But I promise you that making your own gluten-free granola is going to be far cheaper than buying it! Pinky swear.

This recipe is an oldy but goody. I've been using it for years. My mother makes her own granola now too after trying mine during a visit a few years back. It's so easy, and so affordable. What could possibly be better?

This is also one of those recipes that you can totally personalize. Double it, change the nuts, use a different spice, use a different kind of juice (cranberry juice works really well), or use a different type of oil or extract. You can even add dried fruit, coconut, chocolate bits, or whatever you like. Make it work for you and your family. Enjoy served with fruit and yogurt or alone with milk!

Oat, Nut & Flax Granola

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 3 1/2 cups (about 10 1/3-cup servings)

• 3 cups gluten-free Old-fashioned Oats
• 1/3 cup ground Flax Seed Meal
• 1/4 cup slivered or sliced Almonds
• 1/4 chopped Pecans
• 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/3 cup Apple Juice
• 1/3 cup Honey
• 1/4 cup Dark Brown Sugar
• 2 tsp Coconut Oil, melted
• 1 tsp Almond Extract
• Additional ingredients - Dried Fruit, Coconut, Chocolate Chips, etc - as desired

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine first 5 ingredients (through cinnamon). Stir to combine.
3. In a small saucepan, combine apple juice, honey, and brown sugar. Stir/whisk constantly over medium heat until brown sugar and honey have dissolved. Do not boil!
4. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in coconut oil and almond extract.
5. Add liquid mixture to oat mixture and stir well to combine.
6. Line a jelly-roll pan or rimmed cookie sheet with a Sil-pat or parchment, or spray with cooking spray. Empty contents of bowl onto baking sheet and spread out into an even layer.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.
9. Add any additional ingredients you might like: raisins, dried cranberries, dates, other chopped dried fruits, coconut, chocolate chips, etc. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Happy gluten-free baking!