This granola is delicious.  It has a deep nutty flavor, with chunks of almonds and berries.  Store-bought granola is full of added oils and sugars, changing your healthy breakfast to a sugar crash waiting to happen.  Not with this homemade quinoa coconut granola.  You know exactly what goes into it.  It is also a far more healthy granola option since it’s made with whole grains, unrefined oil and naturally sweetened. You just can’t beat freshly baked granola packed with delicious and good-for-you ingredients. By the way, you can preserve that freshly baked flavor by storing this granola in the freezer! Just pull it out and pour.  Here’s a breakdown of the ingredients:

Rolled Oats: Heart-healthy, hearty, chewy oats keep their shape during baking. Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats if you need gluten-free granola.

Quinoa:  Quinoa is naturally gluten-free, containing iron, B-vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, vitamin E, and fiber. It is one of the few plant foods considered a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids.

Unrefined Sweeteners:  I use a combination of maple syrup and coconut sugar.  

Coconut Oil: Oil helps make this granola crisp and irresistible. I prefer coconut oil, but you could also use olive.  I love the taste of coconut oil, and it contains healthy fats called medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs)

Coconut Flakes, Goji Berries, and Almonds:  My favorite add-ins, but you can substitute your preferences.  

 

Let’s talk about clumpy granola. To make your quinoa coconut granola as clumpy as possible, your granola needs to be a little crowded in the pan so it can stick together, but not so crowded that it doesn’t toast evenly.Be sure to line the pan with parchment paper so the sweetener sticks to your oats rather than the pan.  Also, let the granola cool completely before breaking it up.