Lo-Carb Sugar Free Granola

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup raw almonds
  • 1 cup raw walnuts
  • 1 cup raw pecans
  • 1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
  • 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup flax seed meal
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup butter or coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup sugar-free maple-flavored syrup (I used Vermont Sugar-Free)

Preparation:

  1. Heat oven to 300 F. Cover baking sheet with sides with a silicon mat or greased parchment paper.
  2. Roughly chop the nuts. You can do this in a food processor, but if you do, start with the harder nuts — the almonds in this recipe or filberts (hazelnuts) if you use them. Once they are chopped up a bit you can add the softer nuts (walnuts, pecans). Otherwise the softer ones will become meal before the hard ones are chopped.
  3. Melt the butter or coconut oil – you can microwave it in the bowl you’re going to use for mixing (although you can mix right on the baking sheet), if you wish.
  4. Mix the syrup and coconut oil or butter together.
  5. Combine the nuts, coconut, seeds, and salt. If you’re doing this on the baking sheet, add the water first and mix (hands work best), and then the oil/butter and syrup mixture. Otherwise, just combine it all in a bowl and turn out onto the baking sheet. Press into an even layer.
  6. At this point, it’s good to taste it. It’s going to end up tasting a little less sweet, so judge your own desire for sweetness and add more if you want.
  7. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Twice during the baking, stir the mixture with a large spoon and press back down. After the second time, don’t move it around any more. Bake until fragrant and lightly browned on the surface.
  8. Let cool completely in pan. It will crisp as it cools. Store in sealed container. Serve with yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. If you like, add dehyrdrated blueberries or strawberries, such as Trader Joe’s carries.

Make about 6 cups — 12 servings.