Granola is a delicious breakfast which many people prefer to cereal or toast in the morning. But many people automatically assume it is a healthy way to start the day, which isn’t neccessarily the case.
Shop-bought granola is usually very high in refined sugar and can also be heavily processed. I learned this when I began looking more closely into what I ate as I moved to cut all ultra-processed food out of my diet, which you can read about here.
But there is a way to enjoy the delicious flavours of granola, with all the health benefits and none of the ingredients that are not so good for your health: make your own.
This version happens to be grain-free, but you will also be able to find plenty of options for homemade granola including oats. And if you’re looking for a healthier alternative for an evening meal, try this rich and delicious bolognese.
This healthy, grain-free crunchy nut granola recipe comes from Nadia’s Healthy Kitchen and also features on the Zoe science and nutrition app for members trying to improve what they eat.
The brilliant thing about making your own granola is that you only need a bowl to mix up your ingredients, an oven tray to roast it in (and an oven, of course).
And you can mix and match the ingredients based on what you have in the kitchen or what you fancy on any week. The amount of nuts in this particular recipe means that is nutrient-dense and very high in healthy fats.
You can use it as the basis for a more varied breakfast, including adding yoghurt and fruit. Enjoy!
Equipment you will need
- A bowl for mixing
- An oven tray for cooking
Ingredients (makes six servings)
Feel free to vary some of these as you wish. I didn’t have any almonds in the house so I used pistachios
- Hazelnuts, 45g
- Almonds, 45g
- Cashew nuts, 45g
- Pumpkin seeds, 40g
- Chia seeds, 1 tbsp
- Ground cinnamon, 1 tsp
- Salt, pinch
- Tahini paste, 1 tbsp
- Maple syrup, 1 tbsp
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