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Naturally Sweetened Granola

This granola is date-sweetened, oil-free, and simply delicious!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Cool Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Snack
Cuisine: Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: Breakfast, Brunch, Dried Fruit, Gluten-Free, Granola, Healthy Snack, Naturally-Sweetened, Nut Butter, Oil-Free, Snack, Vegan,, Vegetarian, Whole Foods, Yogurt

Equipment

  • Blender or Food Processor
  • Oven

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp Ground Flaxseed
  • 6 tbsp Water
  • 1 heaping cup Pitted Dates (about 11 dates or 7 oz.)*
  • 1/2 cup Natural Peanut Butter (or another nut or seed butter)**
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 4 cups Old Fashioned Oats (or try a mix of grains, such as oats, buckwheat, and puffed quinoa)
  • 1 cup Mixed Nuts and Seeds (I used cashews, almonds, and pumpkin seeds)
  • 3/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 cup Preferred Toppings, such as a mix of dried fruit, coconut flakes, or dark chocolate

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 300°F (149°C). Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper.
  • In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed and water. Allow this to sit for about 5-10 minutes, until it is thickened. This is called a "flax egg" and helps to bind the granola together.
  • In a food processor or high-speed blender, combine the pitted dates, peanut butter (or other nut/seed butter), vanilla, and "flax egg." Process until this forms a smooth, sticky paste.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the oats, nuts and seeds, salt, and cinnamon.
  • Add the peanut butter and date mixture into the bowl and combine well. You may need to mix this with your hands in order to combine it thoroughly, which can be a bit messy!
  • Spread the granola mixture across the parchment paper-lined pan(s) into an even layer, approximately 1/2 inch thick.
  • Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring and re-flattening halfway through.
  • Allow the granola to cool for about 30 minutes. Once completely cooled, sprinkle the toppings (fruit, chocolate, coconut, etc.) overtop of the granola. Break all of this up into chunks and store it in an air-tight container. This should keep for up to two or three weeks!

Notes

* If your dates are dry, soak them in warm water for a few minutes beforehand. Be sure to remove any pits if your dates are not already pitted!
** Ideally, the list of ingredients will just have the nut/seed and maybe salt.