You might think no one needs another granola recipe, and you’re probably right. But then again, I love this more than any I’ve tried — and hopefully you will, too.
While traditional granola recipes contain a fair amount of carbs and sugar, this one is much lower in carbohydrate than most and can be adapted to be fully keto — see notes in the recipe section.
It’s packed with healthy Mediterranean fats from a variety of nuts, seeds, and olive oil (don’t worry, olive oil loses its herbaceous flavor once it’s been heated) and is low in carbs since it contains fewer oats than most granola recipes and very little added sugar. (I add a few drops of liquid stevia to the mixture to boost sweetness without increasing the sugar content.)
Freeze-dried berries — such as strawberries, blueberries or raspberries — add a splash of color, aroma, and nutrition and are lower in sugar than conventionally dried fruits like raisins or cranberries.
Serve this over yogurt (Greek or regular), kefir or in milk for a nourishing breakfast or a comforting snack.
Mediterranean Granola
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet approx. 13 x 18 inches
Ingredients
- ½ cup almonds raw
- ½ cup walnuts raw
- ½ cup hazelnuts raw
- ½ cup pecans raw
- 2 cups traditional rolled oats gluten-free, if needed
- ¼ cup raw sunflower seeds shelled
- ¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds shelled
- ¼ cup flax seeds
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon or more, if you love cinnamon!
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ⅓ cup olive oil extra virgin
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- several drops liquid stevia optional; about 10-15 drops
- 1 egg white or 3 tbsp store-bought liquid egg white in a carton
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract preferably alcohol-free; I like Trader Joe's
- a generous pinch of salt
- ½ cup freeze-dried berries like these or these
Instructions
- Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 300ᵒF/150ᵒC. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
- With a large chef knife, chop nuts to the desired size (I like them quite chunky - about ¼ inch). (To speed things up, it's fine to use a food processor here, but only pulse three or four times very briefly so you don't pulverize the nuts.)
- Tip the chopped nuts into a large mixing bowl. Add the oats, seeds, and spices. Stir to combine and set aside.
- In another, small bowl, combine olive oil, maple syrup, stevia (if using), egg white, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix with a balloon whisk to obtain a smooth, glossy sauce. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly to make sure all the nuts, grains and seeds are evenly coated.
- Spread out the mixture evenly on the baking sheet, press it down with the back of a spoon or spatula, and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden; rotate the baking sheet halfway through. Take it out of the oven when it looks and smells lightly toasted.
- Remove from the oven, leave to cool completely, then break into coarse chunks and mix in the freeze-dried berries. The granola won’t be crunchy while it’s hot but it’ll crisp up nicely as it cools.
- Transfer to an airtight container. Can be stored at room temperature for up to a month.