Healthy Coconut Vanilla Granola (sugar free, dairy free, gluten free)

IMG_1082Want a easy and delicious granola that can be eaten any time of the day? This is hearty and healthy and protein packed, to sustain you throughout your day. It is great with milk for breakfast, served with yogurt for a fruit salad bar, and mixed in with raisins and nuts for a crunchy trail mix. It is also my daily bedtime snack! :) We love it. It can be sweetened as you prefer, but I love xylitol made from birch trees (rather than from corn as many brands are) because it doesn’t spike your blood sugar and tastes so yummy.

Ingredients:

8 cups rolled oats (use gluten-free oats if you are more cautious about gluten contamination)
1 1/2 cup coconut flakes
1 1/2 cup xylitol (or replace with your favorite sweetener – 1 cup raw honey or maple syrup works too!)
4-5 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 scoops protein powder (I use paleo protein powder or Jay Robb’s stevia sweetened protein powder), optional
1 cup coconut oil (extra virgin, cold pressed), melted
1 cup egg whites
1 cup raw mixed seeds, ground in coffee grinder (pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds/flax seeds, and or sunflower seeds – I usually do a 1/4 cup of each)
2 teaspoons sea salt

Directions:

Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl until thoroughly mixed. Spread out evenly over two large 12×17 baking sheets. Bake at the lowest temperature you can set your oven to (150-175 degrees) for 1-2 hours, till just lightly browned. Rotate the pans at least once while baking, and mix up the granola on the tray a couple times throughout the baking time to get it evenly toasted. It will still be soft when you remove from the oven, but will harden as it cools. Makes about 1 gallon.

About Lindsay

Lindsay Edmonds is first a lover of Jesus, wife, mother of four, homemaker, and writer. She loves inspiring women around the world toward simple, natural, and intentional living for the glory of God.

10 Responses to Healthy Coconut Vanilla Granola (sugar free, dairy free, gluten free)

  1. Lisa Young November 9, 2016 at 1:52 pm #

    HI Lindsay, so nice to see you back after your sabbatical! I tell everyone about your website and recipes. I love that they are frugal, simple and healthy!

    Lisa

    • Jenny November 14, 2016 at 5:00 am #

      I wanted to leave a quick comment saying I am so glad you have started doing your blog again! I read it before you stopped and always checked back every now and then just in case you started up again :) I was so happy to see that you had! When I read before my kids were all small but now we are homeschooling our 2nd grader, kindergartner and preschooler and I so love reading your posts. Thank you for writing!

  2. Courtney November 4, 2016 at 5:09 am #

    Hi there! Is there a reason for egg whites instead of just eggs? I usually have a baby on my hip when I cook so I prefer not to seperate, but if it makes the granola better or stick or something, I will seperate. Also, this recipe doesn’t have a whole lot of liquids so it wouldn’t work to soak ahead of time. Do you have a good soaked granola recipe?

    • Lindsay November 4, 2016 at 10:19 am #

      The egg whites bind it together well and it wouldn’t have enough liquids without it. I buy them already separated in a carton. I use them to cut back on fat while increasing the protein. You could certainly try whole eggs if you’d like. I don’t personally soak anymore, but I do have a soaked granola recipe here.

  3. Kelsey November 3, 2016 at 7:18 pm #

    Hi Lindsay,
    I am so blessed to see you back on your lovely blog. For years it has been such a source of encouragement to me, and for many others that I know as well. I am not sure if you remember me, but my husband and I got the wonderful opportunity of meeting you and Aaron at church one Sunday while we were still living in Portland. In recent years, you gave some excellent insight into my doula/midwife endeavors. It looks like the Lord has graciously led us both in similar directions. I was very serious for years about Weston Price, soaking grains, and making every.single.thing. at home. I had a small blog too, and I sensed the Lord encouraging me to step away from social media and to just be raw before Him, without all of the distractions. What a breath of fresh air! I am now a mother to a sweet little 2 year old, and so grateful to glean all of your years of wisdom found in this blog, in your mothering of your sweet brood. Thank you for your sensitive heart, that is so open to Christ’s calling. I am grateful for you sister!

    • Lindsay November 4, 2016 at 10:32 am #

      So good to hear from you Kelsey! I do remember meeting you and so glad to hear you are well and have a sweet little one. Thank you for your sweet encouragement! It has been a long journey and I’m so thankful for the season of rest I had and now the freedom to blog without pressure and being led by Holy Spirit. God is good!

  4. Erica November 2, 2016 at 6:22 pm #

    Hello Lindsay! This recipe looks great! I will definitely be trying it for Sunday mornings!

    I am curious, are you still doing THM and if so, do you have some good recipes and or seasonal menus to go along with it? I always loved your take on food & simplicity/frugality.

    Thanks!
    Erica

    • Lindsay November 2, 2016 at 7:29 pm #

      I follow THM as much as possible, but pretty laid back approach. This recipe is obviously a crossover, but I try to make it as compatible as I can and my taste buds like :-) . I have a fair amount of recipes I rotate through that are THM. I love the Lazy Lasagna, Cheeseburger Pie, and Meatloaf in the THM cookbook. I have also made a good Zuppa Tuscana soup with cauliflower instead of potatoes, and Teriyaki Chicken recipe that I’ve made up on my own. I’ll have to share that soon.

  5. Susanna Brown November 2, 2016 at 3:59 pm #

    Hi! I’ve heard oats aren’t not good for you unless they’ve been cooked. Otherwise, they can be hard to digest. Does baking them for granola do the trick? Have you heard about that?

    • Lindsay November 2, 2016 at 7:30 pm #

      I have not heard that. I do think this is sufficiently cooking the oats, if that is the concern.