GRAIN-FREE GRANOLA (PALEO!)

Like everyone, this is the time of year I start thinking about eating healthy. It’s natural I suppose, since right after Thanksgiving, many people eat nothing but cookies, party foods, and loads of alcohol, and continue right until the end of the year. I spent almost the entire month of November traveling, and you know how that goes with a healthy diet. So I’ve been starting to eat healthier foods, and even trying to get a head start, which is not always easy.

While I don’t follow a Paleo diet, or eat exclusively gluten-free, I can understand the appeal of both, and occasionally try to create recipes with these restrictions in mind. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t, but sometimes something comes along that is a stand out recipe, and those are the ones I try to share. This is one of those.

I love yogurt and granola, and eat it for breakfast quite a bit. It’s quick, and when you add some fruit, it’s pretty filling. Store-bought granola is not the most nutritious food on the planet, even though it has a reputation for being so. It’s definitely not Paleo, although it can be gluten-free. This version is both of those things, and it’s easy to make and customize to your liking.

This is basically a mix of nuts, coconut, honey, and avocado oil, that are roasted until well browned and toasty, and then pulsed in a food processor until crumbly. If you don’t have a food processor, you can chop the nuts as finely as you can; I like to pulse it because it gives it a crumbly, more granola like texture. I used pecans and pumpkin seeds, and seasoned with cinnamon, but you can experiment with your favorite nuts, seeds, and spices. Maple syrup would work nicely in place of honey, and you can also add dried fruit like raisins, cranberries or blueberries.

I sprinkled this over yogurt with fruit, and it made a perfect breakfast. I have not tried eating this with milk like you would a cereal or traditional granola, but I imagine it would work well.