Grain & Oat Free Granola

I make this granola once a week and use it as a snack, and also as a topping for my chia pudding. I should actually call the pudding cereal because my new thing is adding tons of almond milk and eating it like a cereal instead of pudding. The chia seeds soak up milk really fast so I keep the jar of milk next to me and keep adding more.

The granola requires soaking and dehydrating so the process takes a long time, but the actual labor doesn’t take long. It’s full of brain healthy fats and is great for stabilizing good sugar levels, and reducing inflammation. It’s another one of my favorites from Danielle Walker’s Against the Grain.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup raw pecans
• 
1/2 cup raw hazelnuts
• 
1 cup raw almonds
• 1 cup raw walnuts
• 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1 tablespoon golden flax seeds (omit for SCD)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 
3/4 cup honey, melted (I don’t bother melting it)
• 1-1/2 tablespoons vanilla
• 
3/4 teaspoon sea salt (plus 1 teaspoon for soaking water)
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
• 
1/2 cup raisins

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Soak all of the nuts in enough water to cover them and mix in 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover, and soak overnight, changing out the water one time. Soak the sunflower seeds in a separate bowl, following the same procedure as above.
2. Drain the nuts and seeds and place on a paper towel to absorb the remaining water. Keep half of the sunflower seeds separate.
3. Place all of the nuts and half of the sunflower seeds in the bowl of a food processor. Grind them until they resemble the size of oats.
4. Add in the coconut oil, cinnamon, honey, vanilla, sea salt. Pulse until combined.
5. Next, add last half of the sunflower seeds and the flax seeds and pulse once or twice, until they are roughly chopped and mixed into the nut mixture.
6. Remove the blade, then mix in the shredded coconut with a spoon. Turn the mixture out onto 3 parchment covered dehydrator trays. Spread it evenly into a thin layer.
7. Dehydrate on 120 degrees for 24 hours, turning twice. The granola may feel a little sticky and wet when you first remove it, but will crisp up after cooling.
8. Stir in the raisins, then let cool completely before storing in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks.