Quinoa granola

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So.  Effing.  Tasty.

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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?

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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.

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Divine intervention!

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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.

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Oh boy was it a winner.

I tweaked the recipe quite a bit (ok, a lot) to meet my (aforementioned) specifications…and behold!

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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)

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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

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Directions:

In large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients (first 4 listed).

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Chop nuts and add to the bowl along with seeds and coconut.

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Mix well.

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Add liquids (melted coconut oil and maple syrup).

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Mixity mixity stir stir stir.

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Side note: I’ve come to the conclusion that there’s no better smell than melted coconut oil.

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Spread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

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Bake for 60 minutes at 225 degrees F.

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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).

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Sample.  Liberally.

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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.

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I snacked on this non-stop on Sunday…it’s a wonder I had room for my other meals.  I just couldn’t stop!

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Are you drooling yet?

What are your favorite qualities (must-haves) in cereal/granola?

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Comments (397)

  1. Jacqui

    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!

  2. melmo

    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 😀

  3. Evan Thomas

    Yum!
    I think no granola can’t be enhanced with chocolate 🙂

  4. Alayna @ Thyme Bombe

    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!

  5. rebecca lustig

    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

  6. movesnmunchies

    i think i just fell in love with the ingredients list.. SO AMAZINg..!!! my granola has GOT to be in clusters and crunchy!

  7. jessica

    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.

  8. Dana

    Ummm…I need to leave work immediately to go home and make this!!

  9. Sherry

    You are awesome! I am making this today!! Thanks for posting this.

  10. Jan

    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!!!

  11. Salah

    that granola looks bomb girl!!! I have to try this!!

  12. housewifingaround

    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.

  13. Holly

    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!!

  14. Katie

    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.

  15. Casey

    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

  16. Jeremy Logsdon

    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.

  17. my little celebration

    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.

  18. lauren

    I thought quinoa had to be rinsed of saponins and/or cooked before ingesting it. Are the saponins not poisonous?

  19. elise

    truth. next time some carob chips may be a late addition. 🙂

  20. elise

    this quinoa was pre-rinsed. otherwise yes you should rinse quinoa before cooking it – i dont think its lethal though – just advised

  21. elise

    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!

  22. elise

    yes. 🙂

  23. elise

    well im glad people like you are good and worldy and willing to make the sacrifice. because i am not. hahaha. love you!!!!!

  24. elise

    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!

  25. housewifingaround

    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.

  26. elise

    haha. myself included!

  27. Heather @ kissmybroccoli

    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!

  28. Christine (The Raw Project)

    Totally drooling, this looks amazing! My favorite qualities in granola are simple, salty and sweet.

  29. Emma

    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?

  30. Gena

    Yes yes yes I am drooling! This looks impossibly good.

  31. BroccoliHut

    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.

  32. Amanda

    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!)

  33. Kelsey @ Unmitigated Grub

    I’m coming to this post late, but I have to comment because, well, WOW. I am so trying this!!

  34. elise

    well coconut oil is definitely a key contributor, but im sure another oil would work. just wouldnt have quite as much coconut flavor.

  35. Emma

    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!

  36. Pingback: Quinoa granola | CookingPlanet

  37. elise

    thanks emma! youre so sweet

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  39. cait

    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….

  40. elise

    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 🙂

  41. cait

    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!

  42. Pingback: Recipe Link Love, March 2 — Oh She Glows

  43. Jess@HealthyExposures

    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!

  44. Kier @ Life {and running} in Iowa

    For sure the best link on this Oh She Glows post! I am making this granola this weekend!

  45. Simply Pure Vegan + Baby

    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!!

  46. elise

    awww…thanks! hope you love it (i know you will) 😉

  47. elise

    good idea with the sesame seeds. yum!

  48. elise

    buckwheat is my new fave non-grain

  49. Pingback: Alphebruary Recap « hungry hungry hippie

  50. Elle

    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!

  51. elise

    i was nervous too but i PROMISE its unbelievable. such good crunch!

  52. melmo

    i just tried it. and it was amazing. really it’s sooo crunchy 😀

  53. elise

    yeah! glad you liked. im pretty proud of it myself. 🙂

  54. Tracy

    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 🙂

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  57. Sam

    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?

  58. elise

    yup. great blog!

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  61. (what runs) Lori

    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. 😉

  62. elise

    nope! they were raw when they went into the oven. and they turned out fabulous! (youll probably eat it all in one serving)

  63. sarah marie

    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! 🙂

  64. elise

    hahaha…yeah!!!! im so so glad you like it…good luck practicing moderation. i sucked at it big time. 🙂

  65. Pingback: Feeling the love « hungry hungry hippie

  66. Tracy

    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

  67. elise

    hey tracy! im so glad you liked it. this does look like a yummy twist so thanks for the recipe tweaks 🙂

  68. Tracy

    update: wouldn’t reduce the coconut oil- not as good 🙂

  69. elise

    Noted. 🙂

  70. Pingback: quinoa-buckwheat granola | The First Kitchen

  71. Elle

    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. 🙂

  72. Sarah

    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 🙂

  73. elise

    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!!

  74. Pingback: Quinoa Granola | Green Plate Dinners

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  78. Brenna

    Gobbled down the first batch. Making a second batch today. YUMMERS.

  79. elise

    nice!

  80. ej

    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!

  81. Joanna

    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!

  82. elise

    I agree but I’m glad you like it too! Yeah!!

  83. Pingback: Gluten Thoughts « Britt's Blog

  84. Wendy Kennedy

    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

  85. elise

    Thanks wendy!!

  86. Pingback: The Brunch Conundrum | unmitigated grub

  87. L

    Best recipe I’ve ever come across.
    Either that or I’m just hungry and greedy now. 😛

  88. Elise (Post author)

    thank you! i happen to agree 🙂

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  91. Hillary [Nutrition Nut on the Run]

    That granola is stunning!! Making this as soon as my coconut cashew crunch granola is gone… shouldn’t be long 😉

  92. Robyn

    Got it in the oven right now! Super excited!

  93. Elise (Post author)

    hope you like it (how could you not, its awesome!)

  94. Elise (Post author)

    dooooo it!

  95. Robyn

    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.

  96. Robyn

    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?

  97. Elise (Post author)

    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/

  98. what katie's baking

    omg!!!! i can’t wait to get home from vacay so i can make this!!

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  101. Joelle

    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.

  102. Hillary [Nutrition Nut on the Run]

    the buckwheat and quinoa are raw, correct? 🙂

  103. Elise (Post author)

    correct 🙂

  104. Pingback: Quinoa Cat « gRowing iDeas

  105. Liesl

    I’ve been looking for some “non-traditional” uses for quinoa and can’t wait to try this out. Thanks for sharing!

  106. Lindsay

    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?

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  110. Vegan Dan

    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!

  111. Elise (Post author)

    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.

  112. Vegan Dan

    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.

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  114. Lynda

    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?

  115. Denise

    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?

  116. Elise (Post author)

    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.

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  121. Michael O.

    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!

  122. Elise (Post author)

    hi michael! so glad you liked it. thanks for commenting 🙂

  123. Amy

    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.

  124. Elise (Post author)

    nope. no stirring required.

  125. Michelle

    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:)

  126. Pingback: Healthy Quinoa Fried Rice | The Healthy Everythingtarian

  127. Celia

    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

  128. Pingback: 25 Days of Christmas – Day 15: Christmas Granola | Freckles & Spice

  129. Tt in nyc

    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! 🙂

  130. Jess

    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?

  131. Elise (Post author)

    sorry, no print icon. maybe ill get tech savvy in 2012.

  132. Elise (Post author)

    awesome!!

  133. Elise (Post author)

    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.

  134. Jess

    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!!

  135. Elise (Post author)

    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.

  136. @superfoodanita

    Is it 225 Celsius or Fahrenheit ? I’m making my 2nd batch now. Hubby loves it too.

  137. @superfoodanita

    I guess it’s not Celsius. Just burnt it. 🙁

  138. Elise

    Fahrenheit – NOT Celsius

  139. Sofia

    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.

  140. Sarah

    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 :).

  141. Elise (Post author)

    no prob. i have an entire tab (above) with recipes. enjoy!!

  142. Ammie

    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!

  143. Elise (Post author)

    its the same volume either way. so whichever you can measure better.

  144. Deanie deboer

    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?

  145. Elise (Post author)

    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!

  146. Ammie

    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!

  147. meg

    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.

  148. meg

    -oh and would have loved to “pin” this to pinterest, but no can do 🙁

  149. Kelly

    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!

  150. Elise (Post author)

    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!

  151. Elise (Post author)

    hi kelly, thanks for saying hi 🙂 im so glad you liked the granola…i wont tell the men its healthy.

  152. Pingback: Homemade Granola | Once Upon a Wifey…

  153. Kathy

    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!!!

  154. Elise (Post author)

    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!

  155. Meghan

    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?

  156. Elise (Post author)

    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.

  157. Shelly

    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!

  158. Elise (Post author)

    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!

  159. Pingback: Quinoa Granola « Recimplicity

  160. Chris C

    This looks awesome!! Can’t wait to make it!!!

  161. sjberke

    SO yummy! Have you worked out the nutritional info?

  162. Pingback: You’re SO Granola! and…Rock Chalk!!!! | healthy belly ellie

  163. Elise (Post author)

    no, but im sure you could enter it in sparkpeople’s site and find out: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp

  164. Pingback: Gluten-Free No-Sugar-Added Granola «

  165. Noemi

    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!!

  166. Elise (Post author)

    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!

  167. Chrissy

    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?

  168. Elise (Post author)

    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.

  169. K

    This looks great. Will it work if i half the oil with applesauce?

  170. Elise (Post author)

    it probably wont be as crispy and crunchy. the oil is what creates the wonderful clusters, but let me know if you try it!

  171. Pingback: Guest post from Sarah: Fermenting and FODMAPs « FODMAPS diet

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  173. Christi

    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.

  174. Elise (Post author)

    i dont know christi – if you figure it out definitely share.

  175. Shaina

    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

  176. Elise (Post author)

    hi shaina! thats awesome. so so glad you like it 🙂

  177. Maggie

    Oh my goodness. This stuff is incredible!! Thank you so much for sharing!!!

  178. Elise (Post author)

    glad you are enjoying it!!

  179. Peggy

    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!!

  180. Heidi

    Made this. Love it. I dig the whole coconut, chocolate thing, so I added in some cacao nibs after it was cool. Mmmmmm…..

  181. Deanie deboer

    well i just made it for the first time and lOVED it, I can see it becoming a regular staple for me.

  182. Elise (Post author)

    hooray!

  183. Elise (Post author)

    awesome! sounds great!!

  184. Elise (Post author)

    have you tried it yet peggy?? i promise its SO easy and delicious.

  185. Sarah

    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!!

  186. Deanie deboer

    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:-)

  187. Erin

    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!

  188. Peggy

    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.

  189. Elise (Post author)

    thanks peggy! im so glad you and your family are enjoying it. 🙂

  190. Elise (Post author)

    thanks erin!

  191. Pingback: Quinoa Granola (Thermomix) « noredmeat.com

  192. Elise (Post author)

    awesome sarah!

  193. Christine

    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!

  194. Kate Scarlata

    OH>….this looks way too amazing and with my latest quinoa addiction plan to make some right NOW!

  195. Elise (Post author)

    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!

  196. Elise (Post author)

    hi christine! so glad you found me 🙂 this granola is one of my best recipes, hope you enjoy it!

  197. Eran

    Looks delish and solved many of my conflicts about raw-quinoa, yes or no? One remaining dilemma – any recommended substitution for the oats? Thanks!

  198. Jenna Lilly

    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!

  199. Elise (Post author)

    buckwheat? almond meal?

  200. Elise (Post author)

    thanks so much jenna!!! glad you found me 🙂

  201. Pingback: Packing & Quinoa Granola {Wheat Free/Gluten Free} » Bakeaholic

  202. Pingback: Buckwheat and Quinoa Granola « Well Balanced. Food. Life. Travel.

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  204. Mamma Rachael

    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!!!

  205. Elise (Post author)

    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 🙂

  206. Pingback: Crazy Sexy Adventure Day 8: Hot Hot Heat « My Cup of Tea

  207. Pingback: Super simple granola

  208. Jennifer

    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!

  209. Elise (Post author)

    thats so awesome jennifer! thanks for the great review – glad you’re enjoying the recipes 🙂

  210. Pingback: Breakfast | the plant-based experiment

  211. Rachel @ The Health Revival

    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

  212. Sierra

    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…

  213. Sheryl

    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?

  214. Elise (Post author)

    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

  215. Elise (Post author)

    hi sierra! im so glad you liked it 🙂

  216. Pingback: Princess Buckwheat Granola « Princess Adventures

  217. lin

    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.

  218. Elise (Post author)

    awesome! nothing beats a peanut butter granola 🙂

  219. Antoinette

    Thank you for sharing, can’t wait to try making the granola 🙂

  220. Elise (Post author)

    its awesome! enjoy 🙂

  221. elizabeth

    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.

  222. Elise (Post author)

    yum! i wouldnt want to give it away either!

  223. Megan

    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?

  224. Elise (Post author)

    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.

  225. Michelle

    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!!)

  226. Deb

    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!

  227. Elise (Post author)

    yum! im so impressed that you had the patience to wait for it in the dehydrator…sounds delish!

  228. michelle

    Is buckwheat okay on a Low FODMAPs diet?

  229. Elise (Post author)

    yes, buckwheat is a gluten and wheat free grain.

  230. Beth

    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 ♥

  231. Elise (Post author)

    enjoy beth!

  232. Lu

    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?

  233. Elise (Post author)

    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.

  234. Laureen

    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

  235. Elise (Post author)

    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 🙂

  236. Kris

    This recipe is changing everything in my granola world! Thank you sooooo much!

  237. Elise (Post author)

    well thats about the best compliment ever. thanks kris! glad youre enjoying it 🙂

  238. james

    225 isnt raw. looks decent tho

  239. Elise (Post author)

    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 🙂

  240. james

    Yes indeed, I misinterpreted search results. Thanks for all the inspirational ideas

  241. D

    This is great, thanks! How many servings are there/how much in each serving?

  242. Elise (Post author)

    hi D, i dont know about servings sizes. i usually try not to eat the entire batch all at once 🙂

  243. Tracey

    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?

  244. Elise (Post author)

    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!

  245. Ttrockwood

    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 🙂

  246. Runa

    This granola has replaced my regular Alton Brown recipe. Hubby, 4yr old son, and I can’t enough. LOVE it! Love your blog too 🙂

  247. Elise (Post author)

    hi runa! awesome! glad its a hit with the fam 🙂

  248. Elise (Post author)

    thanks!

  249. Pingback: Granola | tryingchange

  250. Pingback: Quinoa Granola « proper noun: sherlonya

  251. Kelly

    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!

  252. Elise (Post author)

    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 🙂

  253. traelynn

    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!

  254. Elise (Post author)

    yay! what an awesome christmas gift! glad they were a hit 🙂

  255. A.C.

    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

  256. Erin Gates

    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!

  257. traelynn

    I just made another batch…added RAW cacao chips and more goji berries and it is in the dehydrator…I really love this recipe!
    🙂

  258. Elise (Post author)

    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!

  259. Elise (Post author)

    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.

  260. Link

    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.

  261. Kelly

    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!

  262. Kim

    Thanks Kelly that’s very kind of you 🙂

  263. Kelly

    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.

  264. Rachael Bailey

    Hi Dan!
    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’ve heard this from a lot of people regarding the 2 darker quinoa grains!

  265. Elise (Post author)

    thanks so much kelly 🙂

  266. Link

    Thanks Kelly, thats not too bad at all, I will make it this weekend.

    Kim

  267. Blaire

    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.

  268. Blaire

    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.

  269. Kelly

    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!

  270. Christy

    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!!

  271. Elise (Post author)

    awesome!

  272. Elise (Post author)

    glad you found a way to make subs and enjoy it 🙂

  273. Jessica

    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!

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  275. Elise (Post author)

    enjoy!

  276. Kim

    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!

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  278. Andrea

    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 🙂

  279. Elise (Post author)

    hi andrea, i dont but if you scan the comments above i think others have calculated it out.

  280. Winnie

    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!

  281. Dan

    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.

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  283. Audrey

    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.

  284. Elise (Post author)

    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!

  285. Vivienne

    So stupid question, do you still get the nutrition value from the quinoa when it’s not cooked?

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  287. Jessica pease

    Can I use oat groats? If I can do they need to be cooked before I use?

  288. Elise (Post author)

    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.

  289. Elise (Post author)

    not stupid! unless you have GI issues that affect your gut lining, yes, you should still absorb the nutrients.

  290. Casey

    Looks yum!!!! Do you use refined or unrefined coconut oil??

  291. Elise (Post author)

    i use this one by tropical traditions: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/virgin_coconut_oil.htm

  292. Ammie

    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.

  293. D

    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.

  294. Elise (Post author)

    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 😉

  295. Elise (Post author)

    i havent seen it at costco, but that doesnt mean it isnt the same one. i bought it online though.

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  297. Belle

    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.

  298. Elise (Post author)

    awesome. glad it worked out with your tweaks 🙂

  299. Kristine

    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!

  300. Diana @GlutenFreeHomeBakery

    This is fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing!

  301. Elise (Post author)

    glad you like it diana!

  302. Elise (Post author)

    yay! happy to help kristine.

  303. Robin

    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!

  304. Elise (Post author)

    Yay! I agree it’s the best!

  305. Cinde

    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.

  306. Elise (Post author)

    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!!

  307. fleur

    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.

  308. fleur

    I was just wondering are you going to be looking at putting the cal content of your recipes?

  309. Elise (Post author)

    sorry fleur. no kcal info.

  310. Bev Hogan

    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

  311. Cynthia

    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.

  312. Elise (Post author)

    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.

  313. Christy

    This recipe was amazing. Amazing. We are taking it out on the trail this weekend!

  314. Elise (Post author)

    sounds great! enjoy 🙂

  315. lauren

    Wondering if you have any tips…I made this awhile back and we loved the texture, but I’m pretty sure I had issues with digesting the raw quinoa. Is there any way to soak grains and then make granola? Would letting the mixture sit in the bowl in the fridge or at room temp do anything?
    Sometimes raw oats bother me, but it seems like when I let them sit in yogurt, cookie batter, etc. for awhile they don’t.

  316. Elise (Post author)

    hi lauren. yes, soaking grains/quinoa definitely helps increase their digestibility. the only downside to doing this before using them in a recipe is that the liquid they absorb will affect the amount of liquids called for the recipe and the baking time. basically you will have to dry the soaked grains completely before using them in recipes…its not impossible, its just pretty time consuming. if you dont want to do this, you could *probably* just try baking it longer. lemme know if you try it!

  317. Jahyde

    Ok I made it but the quinoa is extremely hard. It still taste great but my wife won’t eat it and the purpose was to create a healthy cereal for her. What do I do?

  318. Elise (Post author)

    health food or not, neither you nor i can make your wife eat something.

  319. Pingback: Beach, Markets and Quinoa Granola | thebluemacaron

  320. Rico

    Would you know the nutritional facts for this Granola ?

  321. oroch

    Do you rinse the quinoa before adding to the granola?

  322. Elise (Post author)

    the quinoa was pre-rinsed. i bought it that way. if yours is not, you can pre rinse if youd like but make sure it fully dries before using it.

  323. Elise (Post author)

    no sorry.

  324. lauren

    I tried this over the weekend and it worked!
    I soaked the oats and quinoa for 24 hours, then rinsed and dried them out in the oven for a couple hours one day, then mixed up and baked your granola the next day. It came out great, and I’ve had it for breakfast the last two days (plus a few giant palmfuls whenever I see it!).
    I made a double batch hoping it would last me the last couple weeks of my pregnancy…but I’m not so sure! Next time, I plan to measure the grains out ahead of time and mix this up without the pre-drying step. It seems like that should work and I’ll be home with a newborn so I should have plenty of time to let it dry out 🙂

  325. Melissa

    Maybe I’m just not seeing it…..but is there a “print friendly” version? I’d like to print the recipe out but without all of the pictures.

  326. Melissa

    Is there a way to print the recipe & directions in a “printer friendly” manner so that I don’t waste a gabillion sheets of paper printing all of the pictures?

  327. Elise (Post author)

    hi melissa, all my recipes are searchable under my recipage here http://www.hungryhungryhippie.com/recipage/

    just type in granola & itll give you the recipe and instructions without all the photos 🙂

  328. Barb

    do you rinse the quinoa before using it in the granola?

  329. Elise (Post author)

    Hi barb. If you check out the rest of the comments in this post you can get some guidance w the rinsing.

  330. amy

    Made this today and it is unbelievable – wishing breakfast would come sooner so that I could have it with almond milk.

  331. Orlee

    This is going to be my third batch. I took out the buckwheat and increased the quinoa instead. Halved the maple syrup and added coconut palm sugar 1/4 cup, eliminated dried fruit and increased raw almonds and chia seeds, added flax seeds. Increased the connamon to 1 T, added vanilla extract.. I rinse the quinua and let it dry overnight. I also let the grnola cool in the pan for two hours which seemed to increase the clusters, which I like. This is a wonderful recipe and I love getting all my superfoods in in one meal!

  332. Elise (Post author)

    yay!!! so glad you like it 🙂

  333. veronica

    Just bought the ingredients…making this tomorrow….

  334. jono

    HI, love this recipe, just have some issues getting it to ‘cluster’ have read elsewhere that egg whites are good, thats helped but still could be improved.
    any hot tips?
    thanks,
    Jono

  335. Elise (Post author)

    hmmm…hard to say without a window into your kitchen. did you sub or alter the amount of maple syrup or coconut oil? those are key for clusters. egg whites do help for sure, so if you arent sensitive to eggs or vegan, then go for it!

  336. Elise (Post author)

    enjoy!

  337. Claire

    I absolutely love this granola. My kids favorite are the parts that don’t get broken up (more like bars). I am going to try to reduce the maple syrup (i.e. sugar) this time. I was trying to read through posts and see what was successful. Any opinions regarding this?

  338. Elise (Post author)

    i think some people successfully tried reducing it and swapping in applesauce, but i cant say as i havent tried it. might change the consistency…let me know what you try and how it works!!

  339. Fodmaper

    holy crap, this is some good s**t! I love it to bits and pieces. Of course I didn’t have sunflower seeds or walnuts, so hemp seeds, Sesame and Pecans did just the trick. I added in a teaspoon of Maca powder and a teaspoon of bee pollen.

    I also substituted 1/4 cup of coconut oil for coconut butter (adds flavor).

    I came out perfect, yummy and awesome.

  340. veronica

    Elise…this is the BEST granola i have ever made…how do i store it?

  341. Elise (Post author)

    In an airtight container it should be good for a few weeks…although mine never lasts longer than a few days 😉
    Glad you like it!!!

  342. Shea

    How do you store the granola once its made (and before its devoured)?? Fridge? Or room temp? Do you have any idea how long a batch will keep?
    Thanks for the great recipe!

  343. Kristyn

    Wow! Blaire, a tad harsh! My comment is actually for Dan down below, but it doesn’t give me an option to reply to him. I’m not an expert in global economy, however, having travelled to Bolivia and Peru I have an idea of how the countries operate. I am fairly certain that the indigenous people are not benefitting from the influx of Quinoa consumption around the world. The very wealthy minority owns pretty much everything worth anything. Including the quinoa. And they don’t share nicely.

  344. Pingback: Clustered Quinoa Granola (Kanrocksas) - What Katie's Baking

  345. Orlee

    I used coconut palm sugar, it’s low glycemic, natural, and safe for diadetics, I halve the maple syrup and add the coconut palm sugar, add vanilla extract, add 2 teaspoons more of cinnamon.

  346. jackie

    this sounds awesome. will try making tonight for kiddos 🙂

  347. Pingback: Homemade coconut granola | food et flora

  348. DC

    Just made it last night and ate it for breakfast this morning. Really tasty! Gonna have to try some variations on this

  349. Pingback: Buckwheat and Quinoa Granola | Well Balanced. Food. Life. Travel. « Kate Scarlata RD

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  351. nadja

    Could I use coconut butter instead of the oil?

  352. Nadja

    Could I use coconut butter instead of coconut oil?

  353. Elise (Post author)

    Hi nadja. I’m not exactly sure how omitting the oil will alter the texture or cooking time. I’m pretty sure that could work but it may require some tweaking on your end. If you want you could use another oil in place of the coconut oil. I’ve previously made granola switch nut butters so I know they will be tasty. If you try it out comment again so others know. Good luck!

  354. Lorraine swart

    Fantastic recipe!! You’ve saved my morning crabbiness as I now look forward to my fodmap free crunch granola.

    I took out the oats as I’m celiac and the nuts as I’m allergic, so I added quinoa flakes and amaranth. I also added vanilla paste which I love in everything to add that sweet flavour I miss 🙂

  355. nathalie

    OMG!!! this looks delicious!!! definitely making some tomorrow!!!!!
    So glad I’ve got to know this blog… looks amazing! Keep up the good work!!!!
    nath
    xox

  356. Lisa

    Oh my!!!! This is the best I’ve ever tasted….a must try recipe!!! Do it, you won’t be disappointed 🙂

  357. Trish

    Hi,
    I love your blog. I want to make this, but all I have is honey and maple syrup. I should be getting coconut oil in the mail soon, but you know… I want granola NOW! 🙂 Do you think honey would work alright? Or what about mixing in some natural peanut butter/almond butter/whatever?

  358. jeanna

    I despised quinoa until I found this recipe.It’s everything you describe and more. Out of necessity I used 2 cups oats no buckwheat, other tha that I followed your recipe exactly.Everyone that tries it loves it.Ihhope to find a cheaper source of maple syrup so I can make this often. THANK YOU!

  359. Elise (Post author)

    yay!

  360. Pingback: Quinoa Granola, My New Love | The Conscious Mom's Journey

  361. rasik

    Thanks for a great recipe….what quantity does this recipe make?
    and once made what would be its shelf life…thanks again

  362. Yovanna

    I made this granola (minus the raisins and buckwheat…I just added more oats) and it’s fabulous! The smell is heavenly! Thanks for the awesome recipe

  363. Pingback: Produkttest: Buchweizen (Alnatura) | Neues vom Deich

  364. lisa

    Hey, I assume you add the cinnamon and raisins with the nuts, but the recipe doesn’t say.

  365. Julie

    Great recipe! I just made this for my family and they have already said I should have made a bigger batch. This granola is good as is or mixed with yogurt or into a fruit smoothie. This will definitely become a regular staple in our household.

  366. Nicola

    Hi
    I just came across this amazing recipe on Pininterest but just wondering about the fact that when you use uncooked quinoa you are not rinsing it and I thought there was a protective bitter coating on the outside and so it was important to rinse before use???
    Any information would be appreciated

  367. Elise (Post author)

    hi nicola – check out the rest of the commenters but if you are new to quinoa you may want to rinse. i don’t taste the saponins at all and i don’t rinse quinoa before i cook it and i haven’t had any issues. hope that helps.

  368. Pingback: Maple Molasses Quinoa Granola | Emily K Freistatter

  369. Ryan

    Hello! I followed your recipe exactly and while it tastes heavenly, my granola did not dry all the way! I even cooked it an extra half hour… I spread it on one large cookie sheet but maybe I will try two next time. Just wondering if anyone else has had this happen.

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  371. Claire

    Hi, looks divine 🙂 Is there an alternative to coconut oil I could use though? Thanks x

  372. Kaz

    You can grow your own quinoa if that is your concern. It is actually pretty simple.

  373. Diane C

    Did not have the following ingredients: buckwheat so doubled the oats, coconut oil so used canola oil, subbed coconut syrup for maple, and wasnt sure of oil heat point so stirred in dried blueberries, cranberries, cherries and go lden raisins and banana chips after baking so they would maintain their chew and not become tough. Super delish!!! Great recipe …thx!!!

  374. Pingback: Quinoa Granola | Outdoor Fitness | Danville | Walnut Creek | Moraga | Lafayette | Boot Camp

  375. Krista

    Hey, Great recipe!! I made this last night and I am eating for breakfast in yogurt today…actually right now. I made a slight substitution that i want to tell you about. I didn’t have any buckwheat but i have a small amount of whole wheat baby rice cereal…so I used that instead it turned out great and was a great way to use up that last bit of baby rice cereal that usually sits in my cupboard till it expires and i throw it out. Win!! Thank you for sharing.

  376. Alexandra

    Hi there Elise! Excellent recipe. I meant to check with you first, but I’m pretty sure that I just added this to Weight Watchers online. Hope that alright. Please let me know if it’s not and I’ll see what I can do about having it removed. Super yummy!
    Kind thanks,

  377. Elise (Post author)

    hi alexandra, i am so glad you liked it – would you mind removing the actual recipe and simply linking to my site instead? thanks so much!

  378. Daé

    this was really good, I do a Paleo regimen but the occasional oats are fine with me so I kept those in, omitted the seeds but used walnuts, almonds and pecans as well as added in cacao, hemp and flax seeds. So delicious with almond milk! Thank you for the recipe!

  379. Rachel

    Yes, I’m drooling! Must try! So happy I have 90% of the ingredients already!

  380. Pingback: 32 Ways To Eat Quinoa And Succeed In Life - Viral Tunnel

  381. Tish

    This is delicious! I made a batch on Monday and another one today. I found that when I pressed it down with parchment paper before baking I got bigger clumps

  382. Monica

    I made this today. The taste is awesome and balanced. Although mine didn’t bind as well – half of it is loose. Which is fine as I add it to yogurt. The only thing I did different was reduce the coconut oil a tad – is this the binding agent?

  383. Laurie

    Hi, at what point do you add in the dried fruit? I’ve been making granola for years and find that if you add the dried fruit prior to baking, it dries the fruit too much to be enjoyable. I see the fruit on the baking sheets, but can’t see the step in which it was added… do you add it halfway through?

    This quinoa granola looks amazing. Making it for my backpacking trip. Nutritious and delicious!

  384. Elise (Post author)

    I am lazy so I either add it in the beginning and just bake it (yes, it does tend to make it harder this way) or I add it at the end and never bake it at all. It’s your call but I don’t think it gets too hard in this recipe because it’s cooked at a low temp for longer.

  385. Elise (Post author)

    no, the chia seeds and maple syrup are the things that make clusters, although decreasing any part of the liquid could be a cause too. maybe next time just add in some water to replace the subtracted oil and you should be good to go. if you aren’t vegan, an egg white could also increase the cluster to loose granola ratio. hope that helps!

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  388. Heather Eagleson

    I accidentally made a quinoa granola last year for a 4 day hiking trip to Havasupai, Arizona(I stored it in an airtight container and kept it in the cupboard and it still tastes alright). I say accidentally because it was supposed to be with different ingredients like cashews and dried cherries, which I didn’t have, so I subbed some toasted quinoa (which up until then I was a stranger to, but I had some on hand from a recent shopping trip to my local Winco)and used sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, oats, raisins, peanut butter, honey and sea salt. I never remember making any other kind of granola before and don’t know why as I love granola and it’s fairly easy to make. I definitely will use this recipe for Christmas stocking stuffers and neighbors. I might want to tweak it a little and add pistachios. I will post the results later on this blog. Thanks for the recipe!

  389. Erika

    Hi! I had found another recipe using quinoa and chia seeds that I loved, and stumbled upon yours in re-search for it. Yours definitely yielded the crunchier chunks that the other one didn’t, after I let it cool. I don’t care for coconut; so I swapped in dried cranberries and hazelnuts. As you seem to love granola, I will tell you that I subtracted a little maple syrup and swapped in a two tbsp buckwheat honey and a splash of molasses. I also let the nuts roast. I yielded a super rich flavor. Thanks for this—not too sweet and really healthy mix.

  390. Elise (Post author)

    Awesome! Glad your tweaks worked out and you enjoyed it! This is still my favorite granola that I remake regularly – and I’ve made a lot 🙂

  391. Nat

    this looks so good! I can’t wait to try this, first step is to gather all the ingredients! thanks for sharing 🙂

  392. Melanie

    Ever since I came across this post almost a year ago I make my own granola. On average it costs $10-12 at Bulk barn for the ingredients but lasts a few months and I know everything that has gone into it. I change it up each time but I have become obsessed with buckwheat groats (just love the texture!) and a few of the staples. Pumpkin seeds for protein and golden raisins for a bit of sweetness. I only add about 3 tablespoons of coconut oil and no maple syrup so I don’t get clumps of granola but still get a bit of the benefit. I also add my chia seeds to my yogurt in the morning and then when I am ready to eat at work I add the fruit and granola! I always keep extra with me as I am a Flight Attendant and need back ups in my bag at all times! Thanks so much for sharing!!

  393. Elise (Post author)

    Hi Melanie! I’m so glad you’ve found a delicious and nutrient packed breakfast in this recipe 🙂

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  395. Dudley

    O. M. G. This is so dang good. As far as I can tell recipe makes one serving size. 😉 I added 1 tsp ground ginger and 1 tsp allspice and ssalt. Will cut back the coconut oil next time but it is great! Thanks!

  396. Ann Marie

    I made this a couple of months ago and I have chucked out all my other recipes. Because I am on a low fodmap diet I left out the raisins and just added extra cranberries. I sprinkle it on my breakfast porridge over fruit and yogurt. Great recipe.

  397. Melanie

    This so so amazing! I’m hooked! That’s for the delicious recipe 😍

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