Homemade Grain Free Cranberry Walnut Granola Recipe (Paleo, Grainless, Vegan) (2024)

FAQs

Is grainless granola healthy? ›

Because this granola doesn't have any grains, it's extremely nutrient rich: 6.2 grams of protein + 4.7 grams of fiber per 1/4 cup serving! You can either eat it as is or with your favorite dairy-free milk of yogurt.

Until I ran into a clever trick, courtesy of Julia Turshen's new cookbook Simply Julia for getting granola as crispy as you want it: add egg whites. Per Turshen, for every three cups of rolled oats you want to transform into granola, add a ¼ cup each maple syrup and olive oil.

Grain free granola is made from a base of nuts and seeds instead of oats. This version is bound with coconut oil and nut butter, and it's flavored with cinnamon and vanilla.

An edible ode to our ancestors, this breakfast delight comes loaded in nuts and seeds and dipped in honey but the real star of the show are the Whole northern NSW pecans. A Paleo combination worthy of any hungry caveman.

Trader Joe's Grainless Granola. This product contains 1 ingredient that is not paleo.

On the downside, granola can be high in added sugars, hidden calories, and saturated fat, making some options less healthy.

Check the ingredient list, avoiding products that list sugar or sweeteners —including natural sweeteners like honey — within the first few ingredients. Instead, the first few ingredients should be whole foods, such as oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. You may also want to look for varieties high in protein and fiber.

Flaxseed is wonderful for this, because after 30 minutes it soaks up the water, and turns into a gluey mass that will bind all your granola ingredients together. Also, flaxseed is the most concentrated source of essential omega-3 fatty acids. It has tons of fiber too.

Clumpy Granola Method: Add Egg White

About this method: According to Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen, “Nothing glues like protein.” While there are many granola recipes that include an egg white, I got this tip from the Big Cluster Maple Granola recipe in The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.

Paleo Granola is made with real food ingredients.

This recipe comes together with a blend of nuts and seeds, coconut flakes, honey, cinnamon and vanilla. The honey in this recipe provides just the right amount of sweetness and the nuts and seeds add a perfect crunch.

What is the hidden sugar in granola? ›

However, the oats in granola have been combined with nuts and honey or other added sweeteners, which increases the amount of sugar and calories. In fact, 100 grams of granola can contain around 400–500 calories and nearly 5–7 teaspoons of sugar ( 22 , 23 ).

Enter muesli, granola's delicious but slightly-less-addictive cousin. Like granola, it's made with a combo of rolled oats, nuts and seeds, and dried fruit. But unlike granola, which is baked with added fat and sugar, muesli is uncooked—and it doesn't have any extra stuff added to it.

Muesli is made with uncooked rolled oats, which retain their natural texture and taste. Granola is made with baked rolled oats, which gives it a crunchy texture and a toasted flavor. Muesli typically contains fresh or dried fruits like apples, bananas, berries, and raisins, which add natural sweetness and flavor.

Today, many people think of paleo as a template to base your diet on, not necessarily a strict set of rules you must follow. You can also use the paleo diet as a starting point, adding in a few other healthy foods like grass-fed butter and gluten-free grains.

Maybe that's just because Paleo is gluten-free anyway, so all the recipes are Celiac-friendly by default. But Paleo also has benefits for Celiac Disease above and beyond just eliminating gluten. A surprising number of people with Celiac eliminate gluten but don't actually heal just from that.

Grain-free usually features nuts and seeds rather than oats. These ingredients are sources of fiber and protein, both of which slow digestion and curb post-meal glucose. Fiber also increases the production of short-chain fatty acids in the gut. High levels of SCFAs are associated with improved insulin sensitivity.

Some brands offer unique varieties such as quinoa and spelt. Granola without some sort of sugar would taste like cardboard. But the best bet is to choose a granola with minimally processed sweeteners such as maple syrup, honey and agave. Dried fruit will also add fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Smoothie with Granola

Try adding it to your favorite smoothie to give it an extra boost of fiber from the whole grains, healthy fats and added flavor. It's also an easy way to increase calories in a smoothie. Personally, I think it would be a delicious addition to my Strawberry Peanut Butter Smoothie!