Apple Chai Granola Recipe (Gluten Free & Vegan)

by Samantha Keene |

There are few things more satisfying in life than making your own granola. You’re filled with the satisfaction that comes from making something from scratch rather than buying it in a box, and rewarded with something that’s nutritious and tastes incredible. When making your own granola, you get to decide what combination of flavours and textures will fill your bowl, and what combination of chemicals and additives will not.

We think of granola as a health food, but most packaged granola available to us, even in health food stores, is so laden with sugar and cheap oil that you might as well just buy yourself a candy bar and call it a day.

My recipe is full of protein, fibre, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats, so a small bowl will leave you feeling full and satisfied for hours. It’s lightly sweetened with pure maple syrup and apple butter -the wonderfully sweet and intensely “appley” result of apples being stewed down until they achieve a jam-like consistency -and then spiced with warming and antioxidant-rich chai spices.

Serve with almond milk for breakfast, grab a handful as a quick pick-me-up, or add to a fresh apple with some almond butter for an awesome afternoon snack!

Recipe comes from The Healthful Hoard.

Apple Chai Granola

~ gluten free, vegan, soy free ~

Ingredients

Dry

• 2 cups gluten free oats
• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 tbsp hemp seeds
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 cup dried apple rings, chopped
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/4 cup dates, chopped
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp each cloves, allspice, cardamon

Wet

• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup unsweetened apple butter
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, toss together all the dry ingredients.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients, and then combine with the dry.
4. Evenly spread the mixture on your baking tray with a spatula and pat down a little to compress everything.
5. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for about 20 minutes minutes, then carefully remove the tray from the oven. Using a large spatula, flip the granola over, taking care not to break it up too much.
6. Return to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes, or until golden.
7. Let cool completely before serving and storing.

by Samantha Keene

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