Sugar-free Caramel Granola

Soooo, I have a confession to make. I spent years going from one health food store to another in hopes that I might find an organic brand of traditional granola with only whole food ingredients and no sugar added. After having no luck, I decided to make my own! What you are about to see is the fruit of all that creative labor and genius. And it even tastes stellar delicious.

Recipe: Sugar-Free Caramel Granola

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 5-10 hours

Servings: ~10

Ingredients

Gluten-free Old-fashioned Rolled Oats – 8 cups
Apple Juice-sweetened Cranberries – 1 Cup
Buckwheat groats – ½ Cup
Lemon Zest – 2 Tbsp
Sea Salt – 1 tsp
Austrian Pumpkin seeds – ½ Cup
European Walnuts – ½ Cup
Fennel seed powder – 1 Tbsp
Unrefined Palm Fruit oil – 4 Tbsp
Extra virgin Unrefined Coconut Oil – 4 Tbsp
Barley Malt Syrup – 1 Cup

Optional: Organic Veg. Glycerin Vanilla extract (Alcohol-free) – 1 tsp

Instructions

Place all the dry ingredients, except pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and fennel powder, in a large, plastic-free bowl. Mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, hand crush the walnuts, combine with pumpkin seeds, and set aside.

In a small stainless steel saucepan, combine the barley malt syrup, palm oil, coconut oil, and fennel seed powder. Melt on medium-high heat for about a minute or until bubbles begin to form. Immediately remove from heat, and put into a glass measuring cup. Then pour the liquids into the dry-ingredients, thoroughly coating the dry mixture with the oils. You’ll need to be fast in your mixing!

After mixing, then equally divide and place granola on ½ inch aluminum-free and PFOA-free, non-stick silicon-coated baking pans. Bake in oven on low heat (170F) for 5-7 hours, or crisp in a dehydrator (100-109F) for 10-12 hours. If you can, use a horizontal-wind (even distribution of heat) dehydrator. Be sure to check every hour or two, and gently nudge the granola for better heat exposure.

Once done, remove from oven, break up chunks into bite-sized pieces, and combine the pumpkin seeds and broken walnuts with the cooked granola. Store in a large glass container until ready for use with nut milk or organic soy buttermilk.

Nutritional Benefit of Sugar-Free Caramel Granola

Rolled Oats – Oats are a fantastic way to get in your fiber-rich foods on a daily basis without having to worry about gluten, as it naturally does not produce this wheat-specific protein.. But cross-contamination may occur, so read labels. (1) We especially value oats due to its high immune-modulating nutrients, such as beta glucans. This nutrient serves as a prebiotic to nourish the gut microbiome and also naturally lowers circulating blood cholesterol levels. (2) Silica is a bone and tissue supporting mineral which is essential for proper growth and development. Silica counterbalances calcium to maintain the suppleness of soft tissue as well as the flexibility of the internal structure. Oats are arguably the highest food source of this amazing substance with 595.0 mg per 100 g of oats. (3)

Barley Malt Syrup – It can be challenging to find a sweetener that doesn’t come with the inflammatory effects created by sucrose, i.e., table sugar. Barley malt is an unrefined sweetener. It’s created by sprouting organic barley groats and then kiln drying them until reduced into a syrup. This effectively makes it easier to digest than a whole grain, because the starch has been predigested into maltose – 65% (a simple sugar). (4) It’s also low on the glycemic index, as well as a great source of soluble fiber. So barley malt syrup makes a great alternative for those who want to keep blood sugar in check. (5) Historically, this syrup has been used for treating gut ailments, including irritable bowel and constipation. Lastly, barley malt boasts a high mineral and vitamin content. Its amino acid profile also makes it very easy to digest. (6)