So. Effing. Tasty.
This was so much more simple than I thought it would be.
I’m never buying granola again (yeah right), but still…I know what I like in my cereal so why wouldn’t I make it to my exact specifications? Right?
My favorite things:
1. Clusters – textural variety is the most important part of cereal, oats, granola…shoot any food!
2. Crunch – none of this raw muesli bullsh!t, I want toasty!
3. Dried fruit and nuts – not one or the other, both.
4. Ratios – I like it when there are even amounts of everything so no one bite dominates. Everything should be well represented; no skimping on the cranz, no shortage of almonds.
5. Coconut!!! – Clearly my obsession with this amazing food has hit another level (it’s made it’s way into my diet at least daily), but I’m not too worried. I’ll have glossy hair and healthy skin that will make all the boys in the yard want my milkshake coconut oil. Seriously though, I’ve come to realize that all my favorite brands and products are the ones made with coconut (flakes, shreds, butter, oil, whatever, the more the merrier in my opinion).
Given all this, I decided it was high time I made my own mix.
Then, a couple of weeks ago my cousin hooked me up with this quinoa cookbook and Roland red quinoa.
Divine intervention!
On my first flip through, several things caught my eye, but the really intriguing recipe was quinoa granola. Raw quinoa? Could that really taste good? Wouldn’t it be hard and flavorless? I was so curious…
So I decided that “Q” day of alphebruary would be the day to experiment.
Oh boy was it a winner.
I tweaked the recipe quite a bit (ok, a lot) to meet my (aforementioned) specifications…and behold!
Perfection. At the rate I’m downing it, there won’t be any left by the time I get around to publishing this post!
Quinoa and Buckwheat Granola (vegan, gluten-free)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole rolled oats (certified gluten free)
- 1 cup buckwheat (either groats or uncooked hot cereal mix is fine)
- 1/3 cup quinoa (I used 1/6 cup each of of red and regular quinoa)
- 2 T chia seeds
- 3/4 cup raw almonds, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup raw walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
Directions:
In large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients (first 4 listed).
Chop nuts and add to the bowl along with seeds and coconut.
Mix well.
Add liquids (melted coconut oil and maple syrup).
Mixity mixity stir stir stir.
Side note: I’ve come to the conclusion that there’s no better smell than melted coconut oil.
Spread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 60 minutes at 225 degrees F.
Let it cool and then break apart (you don’t need to actually break it, it crumbles pretty easily if you just brings the ends of the parchment paper together).
Sample. Liberally.
Plain and simple, this granola is out of this world.
The crunch is unreal. It’s still bizarre to me that uncooked quinoa and buckwheat are even edible, but I promise they’re not just edible, they’re fantastically flavorful. It’s the perfect amount of sweetness, with the perfect ratio of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, and the hints of coconut were ahhhh-mazing.
I snacked on this non-stop on Sunday…it’s a wonder I had room for my other meals. I just couldn’t stop!
Are you drooling yet?
What are your favorite qualities (must-haves) in cereal/granola?
{ 265 comments… read them below or add one }
I am making this very soon! I need to find ways to get quinoa into my diet more… I’m also going to look for that cookbook!
oh gosh. this recipe seems delicious. I have to try this, as soon as i have eaten my cake. I’ve never made my own cereals but I just can’t wait
Yum!
I think no granola can’t be enhanced with chocolate
truth. next time some carob chips may be a late addition.
This looks wonderful! I like a granola with plenty of dried fruit. I love it when a dried cranberry hits cold almond milk or yogurt and gets hard as a rock. I’m sure many people hate that, but to me it’s like a little piece of candy!
I totally agree with you, I’m very particular about my granola. I wish I could blend various brands into one, bc there are things I like and dislike about each.
I’ve made quinoa cereal (highly recommend it), but never quinoa granola! Love it
thats what i always end up doing too – and then i got annoyed that it took, like, 4 different products to make one that i liked myself. this is a way easier and cheaper option!
i think i just fell in love with the ingredients list.. SO AMAZINg..!!! my granola has GOT to be in clusters and crunchy!
my favorite comment that you wrote on my blog is this: you’re a loser. because it’s true.
anyway… i was talking to my mom about keen-wah and she said that apparently the people in bolivia (or someplace like that) whose staple food is keen-wah can hardly afford it anymore because the price has skyrocketed now that americans are eating so much keen-wah. just thought you may want to know. as a result, i will be eating more joe joe’s and less keen-wah.
xoxo.
well im glad people like you are good and worldy and willing to make the sacrifice. because i am not. hahaha. love you!!!!!
People in Bolvia and Peru are literally starving and unable to eat the food they have subsisted on for centuries…. and you make light of it… Really not compassionate, definitely not vegan.
Also I don’t understand how one can identify as a hippie and make light of the plight of indigenous people. Quinoa is not our food to eat.
Actually the people in Bolivia and Peru are being paid more for the quinoa they grow because Westerners are eating more of it. It helps their economies. It’s just a tad paternalistic to think that Bolivians and Peruvians are helpless in this matter.
Ummm…I need to leave work immediately to go home and make this!!
yes.
You are awesome! I am making this today!! Thanks for posting this.
I’m not a real granola fan, probably because I’ve never found a REALLY good one — or I’ve never made it. But I am definitely going to try this!!
And as for the smell of coconut oil, I could not agree more. My daughter roasts butternut squash seeds with it, and the smell in the house is AH-MAZING!!!
that granola looks bomb girl!!! I have to try this!!
Did it end up costing a lot to gather all those ingredients? I want to try this w/o breaking the bank. Any suggestions?
P.S. I’m a new diehard fan of your site and will be trying to mimic your talent for making yummy healthy foods. I have a ton of food sensitivities and you don’t use the items I can’t each often. Made a link for my readers to your site, and will also recommend you in my page for recommended reading.
honestly i had EVERY single one already on hand. those ingredients are pretty much staples in my diet, so no, it was not a $$ strain at all
ps im so so glad my site is helpful. thanks for the linkage, i cant wait to check your blog out now – such a cute name!
Guess I’ll just have to start stockin up and makin them staples as well. I’ll see about buying them bulk for now.You had me at pumpkin seeds!
You have turned this into a I NEED IT NOW item, apparently for a lot of people lol.
haha. myself included!
i need this in my life. like now. even though the smell of coconut oil makes me gag (weird, i know), i still love the taste of it.
excuse me while i go catch up on like 20 posts…love you love you long time!!
Yes, definitely drooling. You and I have pretty much the same requirements for granola (the clusters are #1 in my book) – so I can imagine that this recipe is golden. Must try.
Why, yes indeed I am drooling.
Crunch is a must in granola. I also don’t like overtly sugary sweet granola. The flavors need to be a little more subtle.
Hence: homemade > store-bought
That looks amazing. Definitely gonna make that, soon. I just live handfuls of dried granola as a midafternoon snack. That looks way healthier than anything I’ve ever bought.
Oh man, that looks awesome! I’ve made granola before but never with quinoa or coconut oil. I’ll have to give it a try!
My favorite kinds of granolas have lots of crunchy oats, a hint of honey, and plenty of almonds.
I thought quinoa had to be rinsed of saponins and/or cooked before ingesting it. Are the saponins not poisonous?
this quinoa was pre-rinsed. otherwise yes you should rinse quinoa before cooking it – i dont think its lethal though – just advised
Hi Elise. Is the pre-rinsed quinoa bought that way, or did you pre-rinse it yourself – and then did you dry it? I just bought some quinoa for the first time and haven’t looked over the package yet. I’m only just now diving into making things with quinoa after reading about it for a couple of years. Thanks.
i bought it that way. but like i said above, its not necessary to pre-rinse. some people prefer to do so while others dont. if you have to do it manually, you can use a sieve and drain it as best you can, but dont worry about getting it back to a dry state before use.
I was shocked too the first time I ever made quinoa granola, but yours looks like 2438 times better! Oh my gawd!
I have to have crunch…and clusters!
Totally drooling, this looks amazing! My favorite qualities in granola are simple, salty and sweet.
Wow this looks amazing! I will definately be trying this recipe as soon as possible.
Unfortunately my budget doesn’t allow for the purchusing of coconut oil, is there anyway I could subtitute some other oil without decreasing the yum factor?
well coconut oil is definitely a key contributor, but im sure another oil would work. just wouldnt have quite as much coconut flavor.
Okay thanks so much, I just wanted to let you know that I adore your blog. Your writing style is very readable and your photos and food are amazing.
Keep posting!
thanks emma! youre so sweet
Yes yes yes I am drooling! This looks impossibly good.
YUM! This looks amazing.
My current granola stash is one that I came up with, featuring dried blueberries, pistachios, and shredded coconut. I am mildly obsessed.
Definitely crunchy, lots of flavors, and I want something that doesn’t immediately become sog-tastic! :] (This looks like a winner!! Can’t wait to try it out!)
I’m coming to this post late, but I have to comment because, well, WOW. I am so trying this!!
just made this — didnt have coconut oil so i used a mix of coconut butter and olive oil instead…..this caused the granola to not clump but turned out really loose, just like a cereal, which is actually okay by me! i’m eating it right now mixed in with some yogurt. the taste is really good! price wise it wasn’t that bad at all either…i only had the oats, coconut butter and olive oil, so i had to buy all the rest, but i just went to sunflower market and bought everything from the bulk bins, so total it was maybe $6, which i think is reasonable considering its making like 8 or 10 cups of granola/cereal! also, elise, i don’t think you mention at what point to add the dried fruit. i actually added it at the same point i added the nuts, but i’m not sure this is right because some of the fruit burned in the oven….
i added the dried fruit with the nuts…since none of mine burned in the oven im wondering if the different heating point of the oil had anything to do with it? next time maybe try canola oil if you dont have coconut oil. otherwise, i definitely think coconut oil is worth the $$$$…either way im glad you like it
yeah i think you are right about the heating points….i have baked with olive oil before and noticed similar burning results so i should have figured it out….but the granola is so yum….just had a handful plain and the flavor and crunch are amazing! it also kept me full for like 4 hours yesterday….great recipe & thanks for sharing it!
This looks amazing! I’ve never actually done anything with buckwheat, but I’ve got some in my cupboard and I think this is the perfect use for it. And yes, yes – I want clusters AND dried fruit AND nuts!
buckwheat is my new fave non-grain
For sure the best link on this Oh She Glows post! I am making this granola this weekend!
awww…thanks! hope you love it (i know you will)
Looks fantastic I made granola for the first time a few days ago I added sesame seeds to add more texture as I am making this “nut” free buckwheat & quinoa great idea!!
good idea with the sesame seeds. yum!
I made this last week without the quinoa and buckwheat and it was so insanely good. Oh, the smell while it was cooking! Out of this world.
I ran out of it yesterday which is entirely unacceptable, so now I’m going to try it with the quinoa and buckwheat. I don’t quite understand how the raw-to-toasted quinoa thing works but am excited to check it out!
i was nervous too but i PROMISE its unbelievable. such good crunch!
You’re totally right–delicious! Making it again for the third time now. I think I need some of this to be in my house at all times.
i just tried it. and it was amazing. really it’s sooo crunchy
yeah! glad you liked. im pretty proud of it myself.
I have just figured out that my stomach issues for YEARS are because of a gluten intolerance…I am so happy to see this recipe! I’m going to try it this weekend
I am not a veg or a vegan but i can promise i will make this sooner then later!
Have you ever checked out iowagirleats?
yup. great blog!
YES I’m drooling. And YES I’m making this!
Did you cook the quinoa or buckwheat first? Sprout them?
Looks amazing. Seriously. I’d eat the whole thing in one sitting. I have a thing for granola.
nope! they were raw when they went into the oven. and they turned out fabulous! (youll probably eat it all in one serving)
Elise, I made this tonight and it is FABULOUS! Seriously the best granola ever. I was a bit abstract in my measurements — a little more oats than called for, but no pepitas (didn’t have any), extra cinnamon — and everything turned out absolutely amazing. I want to devour the whole pan in one sitting, but I’m trying to restrain myself!
hahaha…yeah!!!! im so so glad you like it…good luck practicing moderation. i sucked at it big time.
This granola is amazing! i just made it for a second time and made the following subs:
* Left out dried fruit
* Added 3 T. cocoa powder
* Reduced maple syrup to 1/4 c.
* Reduced coconut oil to 1/4 c.
* Added 1/2 tsp kosher salt
* Increased cinnamon to 1 T. total
It’s as yummy as the original, just a chocolate twist! In the original I reduced the syrup & oil and increased/added salt + cinnamon too. Also good!
Thanks Elise. Love your blog! I’m not vegan but trying to eat vegan more often to try to reduce my cholesterol without drugs. Your daily menus are a veggierific inspiration!
Best,
Tracy
hey tracy! im so glad you liked it. this does look like a yummy twist so thanks for the recipe tweaks
update: wouldn’t reduce the coconut oil- not as good
Noted.
I made this over the weekend. I left out some of the nuts (because I’m cheap) and reduced the sugar and oil, and I thought it was fantastic! I used dried blueberries for the fruit. I absolutely adore the texture – perfect clumpage! The only problem I had is that I didn’t remove it from the parchment until after it cooled, and it stuck to the paper like crazy. Ugh. I think I will try this again with the addition of carob buttons. mmmm….blueberries and carob
yum. let me know how the carob works. i wanted to try that but i was unsure when to add them to avoid mega melting in the oven. carob and bloobs sounds fantastic!!
Gobbled down the first batch. Making a second batch today. YUMMERS.
nice!
thank you for this great recipe!! i made it a couple of weeks ago (with a few modifications because i didn’t have all the ingredients you used) and i just love it! i eat it every morning with my yogurt. did you figure out the nutritional information for your recipe? if so, please share! thank you!
I just made this today with a couple substitutions depending on what I already had in the house & it is by far the best granola I have ever had .. store bought or homemade. Clearly, I’m already addicted. Thanks for an awesome recipe!
I agree but I’m glad you like it too! Yeah!!
I just dropped by to say that I made this recipe today and it is FABULOUS! I featured it in my latest blog post. Delish, and well done!
Cheers, Wendy
Thanks wendy!!
Best recipe I’ve ever come across.
Either that or I’m just hungry and greedy now.
thank you! i happen to agree
That granola is stunning!! Making this as soon as my coconut cashew crunch granola is gone… shouldn’t be long
dooooo it!
Got it in the oven right now! Super excited!
hope you like it (how could you not, its awesome!)
It’s amazing! Not that I have anything to compare it to; this recipe inspired me to make granola for my first time!
Even if it turned out disgusting (which it most certainly did not) it would have been worth it just for the smell of coconuts hanging in the summer heat this afternoon.
Oh, and also, was discussing this recipe earlier with my sister, and we were wondering if you could swing it if you soaked the quinoa/almonds etc in water first to sprout them? Seeds change chemically significantly when they are brought back to life, and are way healthier when soaked. I believe I heard in a botany class that almonds actually contain a chemical that is a precursor to cyanide on their skin as a digestion inhibitor. Anyways, what do you think? Would it be soggy?
i loooove the smell of coconut baking. anyways, to answer the soaking question, im curious too now. it may work to soak them and then drain them really well once they started sprouting. i don’t know if baking the quinoa afterwards would un-do any of the health benefits of sprouting though…
you’re right about the almonds though. check out this post: http://www.hungryhungryhippie.com/raw-almond%C2%A0fluff/
Yeah, I would soak the quinoa first. I think that’s the only way to effectively remove the saponins.
I was reading up on sprouting and you have to be careful with the soak time in regards to quinoa because the texture can change dramatically if you soak too long, especially for a recipe like granola.
See this site: http://www.sproutpeople.com/seed/print/quinoa.html
omg!!!! i can’t wait to get home from vacay so i can make this!!
Thanks for the recipe. I made some minor modifications to adjust the recipe to my taste and pantry contents and it came out great. I love the use of quinoa. Just baked quinoa is definitely a new one for me. I will be using this recipe again.
the buckwheat and quinoa are raw, correct?
correct
I’ve been looking for some “non-traditional” uses for quinoa and can’t wait to try this out. Thanks for sharing!
I’m looking for more recipes with Quinoa and this sounds amazing…but wondering what I could use instead of coconut oil since my husband can’t have coconut?
I made your granola recipe the other day and loved it!
But one problem…
Is it possible that the Quinoa is not digestible without boiling it in water? Because the morning after I had the granola, I saw the quinoa in my stools as if it had not been digested at all…
is this something I should worry about? or did I not bake the qunioa right? Or maybe my body can’t digest quinoa without boiling it. I have the same problem when I sprout quinoa too.
Any ideas?
Thanks!
interesting. ive never experiences this, and i have the weirdest GI tract so im not sure what to tell you. obviously, im not exactly an expert on this, but id say as long as you feel ok, its nothing to be alarmed over. but if it is coming out the same way its going in, i dont see how any of the nutrients could be getting absorbed. im assuming this doesnt happen when you cook it?
i wouldnt be a good and prudent nurse if i didnt advise you to follow up on this if you notice any other changes or digestive issues.
It seems to be only the case with some sprouts such as quinoa, and I guess in this case, raw baked Qunioa. When I cook Quinoa (boiling it in water) things turn out fine. I think I have a strange GI tract too…Thanks for trying to help. I think I will continue to avoid sprouted Quinoa and baked Quinoa.
Hi Dan!
I’ve heard this from a lot of people regarding the 2 darker quinoa grains!
This has been my experience too with both red and black quinoa. I believe it has a lot to do with the dark color of the outside of the grain and density. I also hear this a lot with whole flax seeds. There are some things our bodies do not digest in our intestines without us grinding them up with our teeth first. Try soaking the darker quinoa first and add a splash of baking soda to break down the shell further. I suspect you don’t have a weird GI
I frequently experiment with granola, and on my last try added quinoa, millet, and barley, which I cooked in boiling water before I added it to the oat-nut mix for baking. (I cooked it first because the last time I added millet raw–without the quinoa or barley–it came out like grit after the mix was baked.) This time there was a little more hard grit! Any thoughts on how to add these healthful grains without the grit factor?
I love quinoa! It is covered with a naturally occurring bitter tasting substance called saponins that must be washed off before you cook it. I just tasted a bit of it raw and the after taste is unpleasant. Did you rinse it first?
hey denise. most companies pre-rinse their quinoa now, but if it doesnt say so on the bag, yes, rinsing it first is a good idea. the saponins can be overly bitter to some.
This was my first ever batch of granola and I absolutely love it! I was skeptical about the buckwheat at first, thinking I might reduce the quantity, but I forced myself to trust the recipe and your rave reviews. All I did was add a big splash of vanilla and it turned out amazingly.
This could definitely become part of my regular recipe rotation (along with hummus variations and homemade ice cream, mostly from David Lebovitz’s book). Thanks a bunch, Elise!
hi michael! so glad you liked it. thanks for commenting
I was just wondering if you stir this while it’s baking. I always stir my granola every 15 minutes to keep the outsides from burning, but I didn’t know if that would ruin the clumping in this recipe.
nope. no stirring required.
I’ve made this twice adding 3 times the quinoa the second time to increase the protein to carb ratio. Love, love, love it! Thank you for sharing it:)
This sounds lovely.
I have a question about your site. Is there not a print icon? I can’t find it on firefox.
Thanks so much,
Celia
sorry, no print icon. maybe ill get tech savvy in 2012.
I made a huge batch of this (more quinoa and oats, too lazy to make a specual trip downtown for the groats sunday night) and i packaged it up pretty with your recipe attached as office holiday gifts. Uh, no one is vegan. I kinda didnt even mention that it was. No less than four coworkers told me today how awesome it was!! Helping to spread the vegan lovin to unsuspecting omnivores!
awesome!!
Thanks for the wonderful recipe! I just made it with everything the same (normally I never follow a recipe to a T
), except I had to substitute agave nectar (maple flavor) for the maple syrup because it was cheaper. Unfortunately the recipe didn’t get clusters or get crunchy! 
The temperature was 225, not 325, correct? Would the drying time make a difference? Or do you think it’s the sugar switch?
thats weird. the temp is def 225, and i dont think drying time matters. hmmm…i guess it could be the agave swap. so weird. you definitely used coconut oil? and chia seeds? because thats what makes it crispy and clustery perfection for me.
Is it 225 Celsius or Fahrenheit ? I’m making my 2nd batch now. Hubby loves it too.
I guess it’s not Celsius. Just burnt it.
Fahrenheit – NOT Celsius
Thanks for the response! I definitely used coconut oil, but I did swap flax for the chia seeds. Still, it was the whole granola that was softer, so it must be the agave. I’ll have to try it again with real maple syrup.
thanks! Still so tasty!!
yeah, must be. ive always used the same recipe and it turns out basically the exact same each time – complete with clusters and crunch. try the maple syrup and let me know.
My simple quick toasted quinoa breakfast:
Put some quinoa flakes in a non-stick saucepan and place over medium flame. Toast til golden brown. Tip into bowl and let it cool for a few minutes. Stir in some plain youghurt, honey to taste, and some blueberries (or any other fruit). Mix and enjoy.
Really looking forward to making this!! My husband and I have recently started trying to web dairy/gluten/processed foods free, so finding recipes like this is always exciting! Thanks for sharing
.
no prob. i have an entire tab (above) with recipes. enjoy!!
Getting ready to make this but am wondering about the coconut oil. Did you measure it before or after you melted it? Not sure if it will make a difference in the long run but just wanted to check. Thanks!
its the same volume either way. so whichever you can measure better.
It just came out of the oven! I subbed agave for the maple syrup & didn’t get clusters.
I even cooked it for 20 minutes longer but parts of it were still kind of moist. Next time I’ll use a larger baking sheet and try half agave & half maple syrup to see what happens. Oh, I added vanilla too. It tastes divine despite the lack of clumps!
so do you think this would be ok for someone with Diverticulitus with all the seeds, if it was all milled up do you think it would taste ok or is the texture the good part?
hmmm…im not sure and i dont feel right about advising something that could cause a flare up, so i think it would be best to ask your GI doc before trying it. milled up would still be delicious though – like a granola smoothie!
wow- can. not. stop. eating. it!!!!!!!!!!!!! whole fam loves it. i added figs, dates and fresh grated ginger too……..mmm. unfortunately after two bowls of it with yoghurt and blueberries at 10pm (couldn’t wait to morning after it came out of oven) i feel sick – my bad.
-oh and would have loved to “pin” this to pinterest, but no can do
i think you can if you find the recipe through the recipage link (first link in the veg*n recipes tab). anyways, thanks for the good review!
Found your blog and recipe thanks to fb and my friend Meg (above)! Just beginning to add more grains, fiber, etc. to my diet. Just made a batch of this granola today and it is WONDERFUL!!! I guess I have many new staples in my cupboard. I will have to find more recipes to use everything. Even my not-so-healthy eating husband and son like this! Bonus!
hi kelly, thanks for saying hi
im so glad you liked the granola…i wont tell the men its healthy.
Why, oh why can I not get clusters of crunch out of this granola??? I love the flavor but am really craving the hard crunch that is described. I was using ground chia and wondered if that made a difference so bought the seeds and tried it again. Same results!! I have made it 5 times and eaten every morsel but am determined to get it to cluster….help!!!
hmmm..ok the only thing i can think of is maybe youre piling it on the baking sheet too thickly and so they arent able to crisp. next time use more than one baking sheets and spread it out really thinly so theres no overlap in granola as it bakes. hope that helps!
How does this granola match up with a low FODMAPs diet? I’m very wary of dried fruit, but I hate to deny myself of one of the best parts of granola if it’s not a real issue…and coconut flakes, are they approved?
coconut is considered a fodmaps free food – in oil, butter, and unsweetened flake form. you have to be cautious with added sources of sugar or sweetened coconut though. the milk in cartons is ok (like the so delicious brand) but im not sure amount the coconut milk in cans. raisins in small amounts are tolerable to most. i am ok with them and im fairly fructose sensitive. dried cranberries are also fine.
I just recently bought my first box of quinoa and was searching through recipes and came upon your site
I love granola and feel the same way you do…it should be crunchy/toasty and have a good amount of all ingredients. I can’t stand buying granola that says “fruit and nut” and there’s like 4 walnuts in it. Gonna have to grab a few ingredients but I’m definitely going to try this soon…thanks!
awesome! its one of my best recipes ever. i still make it constantly…if you need more quinoa ideas, i have tons of others in the recipes tab. enjoy!
This looks awesome!! Can’t wait to make it!!!
SO yummy! Have you worked out the nutritional info?
no, but im sure you could enter it in sparkpeople’s site and find out: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp
Hi, I just have a question about the quinoa. Do I have to wash it first before I put it in the mix? I made granola with amaranth as well and quinoa. I bake it at 350 for 16 min. The quinoa and amaranth were hard . Do I need to bake it for more time?
I will definitely try your recipe. Thanks!!
rinsing the quinoa can help rinse the saponins, but its not necessary. for clarification – i use uncooked quinoa, so it is crunchy and hard. my recipe would never get crunchy like granola in only 15 minutes!
I love this recipe [and your blog, obv]! I found that I definitely do not digest the uncooked quinoa though. Have you ever tried sprouting the quinoa or cooking it before adding it to the mix? I’ve never sprouted quinoa, but it seems like if I cooked it regular style first, it would be too moist and might throw off the balance/crunchiness. Any thoughts?
cooked could be good for sure. lemme know if you try it.
im not a big fan of sprouted quinoa. i did it once and found the effort not worth it.
You can buy sprouted quinoa at most health food stores, Tru Roots has a great sprouted, pre-rinsed organic one. It works great in this recipe, and is so much easier than sprouting at home!
thanks erin!
This looks great. Will it work if i half the oil with applesauce?
it probably wont be as crispy and crunchy. the oil is what creates the wonderful clusters, but let me know if you try it!
Good morning, if I wanted to make this more of a protein bar than granola for a good snack to pack would I add more oil or maybe press into a pan and cut apart? Just wondered what your take would be on that. Love, love your website and will visit often.
i dont know christi – if you figure it out definitely share.
Just made this. It was soon yummy but I used honey instead of maple syrup. Crunchy and cluster like. Thanks so much for posting this
hi shaina! thats awesome. so so glad you like it
Oh my goodness. This stuff is incredible!! Thank you so much for sharing!!!
glad you are enjoying it!!
Wow, this looks so good I have to try it! We eat a lot of granola, but I’ve always bought it…confession…I didn’t think I could make it as good, but now I’m confident because of your blog and pictures. I can’t wait to try this!
thanks!!
have you tried it yet peggy?? i promise its SO easy and delicious.
Elise, I finally got to try it late Thursday night. By Friday morning when I went for a little breakfast granola, it was gone! The kids and I enjoyed it so much that they scarpered off with it. Of course, I couldn’t leave well enough alone and follow the recipe. I threw in some Chia seeds, shelled hemp seeds, agave nectar, and the kitchen sink. Wonderful! Thank you Elise for being such a good teacher.
thanks peggy! im so glad you and your family are enjoying it.
Made this. Love it. I dig the whole coconut, chocolate thing, so I added in some cacao nibs after it was cool. Mmmmmm…..
awesome! sounds great!!
well i just made it for the first time and lOVED it, I can see it becoming a regular staple for me.
hooray!
You are a genius! I made a version of your quinoa granola and wrote about it on my blog @ http://sarahcsarahdo.blogspot.com
Thank you for the inspiration!!
awesome sarah!
Hey sarah, I loved your blog, what a great vibe… I have one too… take a look http://www.inlovewithmybigfamily.blogspot.com.au/
I am not sure it is as fun and all you guys blogs (wow that sounded really badly worded)… but what a great way to share blogs.
have a great day yall:-)
Just stumbled upon your site today and I’m glad I did. Lots of great recipes, but this quinoa granola looks and sounds amazing! Thank you for your insight and dedication. I will be visiting again soon!
hi christine! so glad you found me
this granola is one of my best recipes, hope you enjoy it!
OH>….this looks way too amazing and with my latest quinoa addiction plan to make some right NOW!
i just starred your quinoa granola bars today! quinoa is fantastic. this recipe of mine is an all time fave for sure. hope you enjoy!
Looks delish and solved many of my conflicts about raw-quinoa, yes or no? One remaining dilemma – any recommended substitution for the oats? Thanks!
buckwheat? almond meal?
This is baking in my oven right now. My kitchen smells fantastic!
P.S. your blog is amazing! completely changed my lifestyle, I can’t thank you enough!
thanks so much jenna!!! glad you found me
First off. Love the granola and so do my kids. Thank you! I’ve read that eating raw quinoa is not very nutritious and can even remove some nutrients from our us. This is baked for an hour, so not really raw, but do you know if this is enough to allow us to absorb all the wonderful things quinoa has to offer? Looked everywhere online and can’t seem to find and answer. Thanks again!!!
hi rachael! first off, thanks for reading, and im so glad you and your kiddos like the quinoa granola.
i did a fair amount of research after someone else asked a similar question. i couldnt find too much info, though. there seem to be an equal number of sites devoted to pro-raw as there are to pro-cooked (to say it with a positive spin) so its hard to figure out whats what. im going with the everything in moderation motto
I just made this tonight, and it has to be the best granola I have ever tasted. Plus, since I am pregnant, it is the perfect source of protein during the day for me. The quinoa part grabbed my attention the most. Thanks for the recipe. I also prepared your faux cobbler for tomorrow. Can’t wait!
thats so awesome jennifer! thanks for the great review – glad you’re enjoying the recipes
I have 1 batch in the oven and am snacking on the 2nd batch now! (It’s like granola cookie dough hahaha..) This is by far the best granola I’ve made! Thank you so much!! I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand, so I substituted chopped up sticky dried cherries from Whole Foods for the dried fruit and honey for the maple syrup…
hi sierra! im so glad you liked it
What could be used in place of the coconut oil? I have high cholesterol and don’t use coconut oil. Do you have the nutritional information on this granola?
coconut oil doesnt affect cholesterol. you can find out the nutrtional info if you want by plugging the ingreds into a site like spark people http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp
I tried this recipe today and I only used oats (didn’t have buckwheat so I doubled the oats) and cut the oil and maple syrup in half. I added 1/4 cup peanut butter (30 seconds in microwave to liquify it somewhat for mixing). Came out perfect for me.
Thanks so much, I love new granola recipes.
awesome! nothing beats a peanut butter granola
Thank you for sharing, can’t wait to try making the granola
its awesome! enjoy
i made a massive bunch of this (for hostess gifts) with dried figs added in! so so so delicious! i don’t want to give it away.
yum! i wouldnt want to give it away either!
Hey there!
I made some of this and it was FABULOUS! Just absolutely delicious!
I only ran into one small problem, though – mine did not cluster like yours seemed to have clustered. I used honey instead of molasses when i was making it – do you know if that has anything to do with it? Any recommendations on how to make it cluster next time?
do you mean instead of maple syrup? theres no molasses in this recipe. im not sure if that’s what caused the lack of clusters, but at least it tasted good? the coconut oil is what makes it crunchy and the syrup holds it together. try it with maple syrup next time.
Elise – this looks amazing!! I have been stuck on hot oats for breakfast for a while so I am going to make this tomorrow to enjoy for breakfast for the next few days (if it lasts that long!!)
This is the most amazing recipe – love it! I am on a starch free diet, so omitted the oats and then I substituted goji berries for the dried fruit and pecans for the walnuts (didn’t have walnuts at the time). I then dried it in the dehydrator, making it the perfect raw breaky! Thank you!
yum! im so impressed that you had the patience to wait for it in the dehydrator…sounds delish!
Is buckwheat okay on a Low FODMAPs diet?
yes, buckwheat is a gluten and wheat free grain.
WOW Elise you’ve out done yourself with this one! I’m excited to try out this granola, the pictures look divine and all healthy goodies in it! YUM ♥
enjoy beth!
Just cooking the first batch….smells amazing….doubled the ingrediants….slightly worried I may drown in Granola. Any idea how long it lasts if put into an air tight container?
hmm…hard to say because i eat mine so quickly. in an air tight container is should be good for a while. a few weeks? not sure. it may lose a bit of it’s crunch but otherwise should be fine.
This granola is amazing. I’m making my third batch right now. So easy to use what’s on hand and substitute too. I’ve added quinoa flakes the last couple of times I’ve made it and it works well.
Thank You
how clever! ive yet to try subbing quinoa flakes, but i have a bunch on hand now, so ill definitely give it a go. thanks for the idea
This recipe is changing everything in my granola world! Thank you sooooo much!
well thats about the best compliment ever. thanks kris! glad youre enjoying it
225 isnt raw. looks decent tho
Hi James. You’re right – this isn’t a raw recipe. I don’t think I ever claimed it to be such. It’s delicious though…enjoy
Yes indeed, I misinterpreted search results. Thanks for all the inspirational ideas
This is great, thanks! How many servings are there/how much in each serving?
hi D, i dont know about servings sizes. i usually try not to eat the entire batch all at once
Hi Elise,
I found a receipe similar to yours in a magazine at my doctors office. I made it and loved it but mine doesn’t clump like yours. Its too crumbly. I just made another batch and I was so disapointed with the texture I went online for some answers and found your site. I’m going to try yours next time. Do you think theres away to clump what I’ve already made?
hi tracey – its kinda hard to say since i dont know what was in the recipe you used, but id guess it has to do with either a lack of (or insufficient) chia seeds, maple syrup, or coconut oil. im not sure if theres a way to get clusters post-baking…i wish i could help more but i have no clue about the other recipe so im really just guessing. good luck!
Hi! So what i know would work is if you take the already made granola, and mix it with sweetened condensed milk. You may want to add a bit more oats so it doesnt get too sweet also. Then just bake low-ish at 300 for 30 min and check.
It will definately make “clumps” and be a little sticky, not vegan but would solve the problem
thanks!
This granola has replaced my regular Alton Brown recipe. Hubby, 4yr old son, and I can’t enough. LOVE it! Love your blog too
hi runa! awesome! glad its a hit with the fam
Hi Elise- I commented a year ago (Feb. 2012), the first time I tried this recipe. I still love it and am eating it daily as my breakfast or yoghurt topping. I run a childcare program so your granola has also found it’s way into my little kiddos diets, and on to their families! Anyway, I just made batches of this last year for my daughter and her friends in college. It seems that once they all had some of my daughter, Lauren’s granola that she had brought to school, they ate all of hers and started calling me with requests for their own tins of granola! You made a lot of people happy last year! thanks for the great recipe!
hi kelly! what an awesome comment to get!
thanks so much for passing on the granola love – and for making my day with this kind message
Hi Elise!
I love this recipe, added Goji berries and made bags of it for christmas presents and had lots of excellent reports…thank you for sharing!
yay! what an awesome christmas gift! glad they were a hit
Hi,
Can I just eat the quinoa seeds without sprouting them, without cooking them? I know most blogs/sites state you should at least soak them for 3 to 4 hrs, but, lol, I’m looking for the most simple/easy/maximum nutrition use for quinoa. Raw, not sprouted, they have more nutritional value. Anyway, just curious if you’ve ever considered or heard anything. I’m eating the costco quinoa, white, it’s good.
Thanks
hi AC
some people can tolerate raw quinoa and others cant. sorry if this is TMI, but in its raw form it usually just comes out the other end undigested. im guessing that means none of the nutritional benefits are received. 99% of the time i cook it or bake it (like in this recipe). the other 1% of the time i soak or sprout it first.
im not sure which method is easiest for the gut to extract the max value.
This is the 3rd time I have made this granola and I LOVE it! My kiddos love it too an my picky hubby even eats it:)! Thanks for the recipe!
I just made another batch…added RAW cacao chips and more goji berries and it is in the dehydrator…I really love this recipe!
i made some w goji berries recently too! such an awesome addition. ill try cacao next time as well. mmm…
so glad you like it traelynn!
Hi Elise
I’d love to try this but I’m calorie counting & wondering how high in calories it would be for a serving, did you ever calculate that? Thanks, Kim.
Hi Kim, I am responding because I was wondering the same thing a few months back (when I really started watching my diet). When I went through the recipe and added up the fat and calories for this recipe it came to something like 11 grams of fat and 730 calories per 3/4 cup serving (I eat mine as cereal). Most of the fat is coming from the coconut oil. I still love everything in this recipe because it is all so good for you, but when you have weight to lose, it may not be best to eat it as cereal. I have decided to try this recipe and omit the coconut oil and substitute applesauce, and try honey instead of maple syrup. I will re-post a comment after I make the revisions, hopefully this week-end!
Thanks Kelly that’s very kind of you
Oopsie! Just noticed that I typed the calories per serving in wrong. It is not that high. 173 calories per 3/4 cup serving. The fat grams are 11 g.
thanks so much kelly
I just made this today- had to make a few substitutions but it still turned out great! I didn’t have buckwheat so I upped the amount of oats and quinoa and added 2 T. ground flaxseed and 2 T. sesame seeds. I didn’t have pumpkin seeds so just doubled the sunflower seeds. And my husband doesn’t like raisins, yet likes dried cranberries, so I just doubled the amount of those. Everything else was the same and it is so good!!
glad you found a way to make subs and enjoy it
I’m a complete granola nut but I’ve never seen a version anything like this. Thanks for sharing such a refreshing alternative, I can’t wait to try it out!
enjoy!
My brother suggested I might like this web site. He was entirely right.
This post truly made my day. You can not imagine just how much time I had spent
for this information! Thanks!
Hi there! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after looking at many of the articles I realized it’s new to me.
Anyways, I’m certainly delighted I discovered it and I’ll be book-marking it and checking back often!
This was amazing!
Do you have the nutritional breakdown and calorie count for this recipe. I am afraid to ask – especially if you eat the whole recipe in two sittings
hi andrea, i dont but if you scan the comments above i think others have calculated it out.
Thanks for an awesome recipe! I’m not a big health foodie but this was fantastic and quite tasty! I don’t like cooked quinoa but having it toasted in granola is delicious. I’ve shared this recipe numerous times and my friends love it as well. Thanks again!
I have read so many content concerning the blogger lovers but this paragraph is genuinely a
nice post, keep it up.
Thank you Elsie for this FANTASTIC RECIPE!
It is absolutely amazing and everyone in the family loves it! I do not have any oats in the house so I crumbled 1 1/2 cups of Glutino Pretzels instead! WOW it adds a different kind-a salty/sweet bite every once and a while
Thank you for sharing your journey.
love love love glutino pretzels. and since sweet and salty together are a fave i can totally understand how awesome that addition would be. thanks for the idea!
So stupid question, do you still get the nutrition value from the quinoa when it’s not cooked?
Can I use oat groats? If I can do they need to be cooked before I use?
do you mean steel cut oats? if so, yes you can use them and no they don’t need to be cooked first. theyll be crunchy similar to the quinoa.
Looks yum!!!! Do you use refined or unrefined coconut oil??
i use this one by tropical traditions: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/virgin_coconut_oil.htm
Elise, is this the coconut oil they sell at Costco? I’ve been using the TJ’s coconut oil but I burn through it pretty quick. The oil they sell at Costco is about $0.07 cheaper per ounce but I was unsure about the quality.
i havent seen it at costco, but that doesnt mean it isnt the same one. i bought it online though.
I just tried this, as I’m currently on the FODMAP restriction diet I couldn’t be content without some granola with yoghurt for breakfast. This seemed like the perfect fit.
So I made a batch & it’s very tasty & perfect crunch!
A bit too sweet for my liking, I already added less maple syrup than the recipe suggests. So maybe less still. It also doesn’t clump, which is perplexing. Because aside from the maple syrup I followed the recipe. Any idea why that is? Regardless, I’ll continue to make it. Thanks so much.
based on the info – the only thing i can guess is the absence of maple syrup? as long as you followed the rest of the recipe, that’s the only thing i can think of. ive made this recipe a million times and it always makes clusters.
did you let it cool all the way before you sampled it? i know thats hard to do
Excellent recipe. Thank you so much for posting this. I made this this morning. My only change was to use 1T of coconut oil, all other ingredients and amounts remained exactly as written.
My granola chunked up nicely into clusters even though I used less oil.
I made sure to lower my baking rack in my oven so that the baking sheet is in the middle of the oven so as not to burn the granola. The 60 minute cooking time was perfect. I turned the baking sheet around at 30 minutes.
When I took the hot sheet out of the oven, I poured the dried fruit on the pan instead of cooking the fruit. That worked out great, too.
awesome. glad it worked out with your tweaks
This looks fantastic! I have recently started trying to eat better and try new things and this looks so good I think it is my next tackle! Thank you so much for your blog and all of you helpful hints- all so great!
yay! happy to help kristine.
This is fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing!
glad you like it diana!
I made this tonight. Oh my gosh the smell while it cooked was amazing. The end result even better! Thanks so much for the recipe. I’ve never made granola before and it was a lot easier than I thought. No more purchasing granola for this girl. I will make it. Yummo!
Yay! I agree it’s the best!
This is just the cats pajamas, I had to comment!
Itis really good and I like all the people who wrote down alternatives. Although a few say this is fattening, we need a certain amount of calories per day anyway, if if most are eating raw(ish) these are needed nutrients.
Had mine with organic strawberies and my own raw almond milk.
You don’t need much as it really is filling. So calories are a no brainier unless you pig out on it like I did out of the oven. I even woke up at 2:00 and nibbled, Went back to sleep and had some calming sleep. it’s a keeper for sure.
i completely agree cinde! we dont need to fear (healthy) fats at all, as they have an important role in the diet. yes theres an issue of moderation for some, but for weight loss, its about tweaking kcals in and kcals out, as opposed to altering macronutrient ratios. and of all the places to get your calories, i think the quality of this granola makes it a winner
glad you enjoyed it!!
I used rices flakes as unable to use oats my first batch burn as I used butter, the second lot I used coconut oil what a difference.
I was just wondering are you going to be looking at putting the cal content of your recipes?
sorry fleur. no kcal info.
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5681/2
Hello the web site above shows how inflamatory buckwheat and quinoa are before cooking/activating. FYI
Having said that I am cooking this receipe now without buckwheat and adding hemps seeds. I want these good foods in my diet and I’m lucky enough to not have digestion issues. Great receipe, yes mmmm coconut!! Thanx Bev
This recipe was amazing. Amazing. We are taking it out on the trail this weekend!
sounds great! enjoy
Thanks Kelly, thats not too bad at all, I will make it this weekend.
Kim
Hi again Kim (and Elise) I did end up making a revised granola this week-end. I substituted the oil for 1 cup of applesauce and I added only 1/4 cup of honey instead of the maple syrup. It turned out more chewy than crunchy, but other than that, the applesauce added a wonderful new tartness. This change brought the fat and calorie count down to 4g fat and 114calories per 3/4 cup serving! That is the beauty of this recipe you can add or substitute a number of different treats!! It all works!
awesome!
Thanks Kelly, great tip! Well I made it and it is effing tasty!! I worked out the cals on the original recipe to be about 290 for a small bowl. I want to try again with less coconut oil, I might just try your applesauce idea, thanks!
not stupid! unless you have GI issues that affect your gut lining, yes, you should still absorb the nutrients.
{ 49 trackbacks }