A while back when I shared the recipe for home made almond milk many readers asked me if there is something we can do with the remaining almond meal. well here is the answer. I usually make this granola with the remaining meal. I dry it in the oven and use it here and the result is an amazingly crunchy and nutty granola. This granola is also a great way to use up your homemade peppermint chocolate almond butter too

Today’s recipe is a gluten free and grain free granola. There are no oats in this recipe but I promise you will not miss them. I enjoy making granola at home, you can choose what to put into your granola, what flavors or nuts to add, you are sure there are no additives or preservatives in it, it is cheaper than the store-bought stuff and much tastier. So if you have never tried making granola at home I urge you to give it a go, it is really much easier than you think and once you taste it, trust me, you will never look back.

This does not mean that you cannot enjoy this granola if you don’t follow a gluten free diet. I am not on a GF diet and this granola has its own jar in my kitchen next to the homemade granola jar that I don’t allow to stay empty for long

Today I am excited to be a guest at Kym’s wonderful blog Free spirit eater. Kym features her favorite food bloggers every Friday and I am honored to be featured there this Friday.

Gluten free, grain free nutty chocolate granola

• 2 cup almonds

• 1/2 cup raw walnuts

• ½ cup (40g) unsweetened shredded coconut

• Pinch of salt

• ¼ cup honey

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 cup orange juice

• 3 Tablespoons almond butter or regular butter

• 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• 2 Tablespoon flax seeds

• Chocolate, coarsely chopped (I usually use bittersweet chocolate but you can use any kind you enjoy)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 230 C

1. Place the almonds in the food processor and pulse until just coarsely chopped.

1. In a bowl whisk the almond butter,brown sugar, orange juice and honey untill the sugar dissolves and all is combined.

1. Add in the cocoa powder along with a pinch of salt and the vanilla and whisk to blend until well combined.

1. Add the chocolate mixture to the food processor and pulse to combine.

1. Add the flax seeds and the shredded coconut and pulse again until everything is combined.

1. Add the walnuts and give it one last  pulse

1. Spread chocolate nut mixture evenly on a pan that you have lightly oiled or lined with parchment.

1. Bake at 230 degrees for about 2 hours, or until dry and crispy.(you need to gently stir the mix every 30 minutes to ensure it crisps evenly)

1. Cool on wire rack. Stir in chopped chocolate and store in airtight container.

Notes:
Soaking the nuts in water the night before making the granola removes the enzyme inhibitors, making them easier to digest