Homemade granola adapts easily to fit many diets and avoid many common allergens, as this week’s recipe demonstrates. It uses similar ratios to Gourmet Granola with Nuts and Fruit but replaces gluten-heavy grains, nuts and honey so that I can serve it to a crowd or gift it to friends without quizzing them on dietary needs.
The biggest change involves grains. Oats are naturally gluten free but often contaminated with other grains when grown nearby or processed in the same facility. So if you’re avoiding gluten, buy bags labeled “certified gluten-free.” Last month, I couldn’t find locally the gluten-free oats that I recommended in my column three years ago. Instead, many Flathead Valley natural-food stores and even major grocery stores carry Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats.
Cooked quinoa, an ancient grain that is actually naturally gluten-free seeds, complements oat flakes. The raw seeds are quite hard, but simmering them in water and then drying or baking them creates a crisp pop. Cooked quinoa lasts for up to a week in the fridge, so prepare just 1/2 cup of raw quinoa for granola or a large batch for several recipes, including Warm Quinoa and Feta Salad. Quinoa can also have cross-contamination issues, so it’s again best to look for the certified labeling.
Unseasoned or Spiced and Roasted Pumpkin Seeds make tasty additions to granola. I avoid sesame seeds for this version, because they are increasingly reported to present allergy issues. Agave syrup keeps this granola vegan friendly.
Gluten-Free, Nut-Free Granola
Makes about 10 cups
5 tablespoons agave syrup
3 tablespoons molasses
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4-1/2 cups rolled oats
1-1/2 cups cooked quinoa
2 medium apples, grated
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup pumpkin seeds
3/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup currants
In a large glass measuring cup, stir the agave syrup, molasses, water and oil until the sweeteners break up. In a large bowl, mix the rolled oats, cooked quinoa, grated apple, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Pour the liquid over the grain mixture and fold together until evenly coated. Let sit for 30 minutes, and then fold in the pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
To dehydrate, spread the mixture thinly on dehydrator trays covered with plastic sheets, using 1-1/2 to 2 cups per large tray. Dry at 135°F for about eight hours or overnight, and then turn off the dehydrator and let the granola sit for 30 minutes.
To bake, spread the mixture into two large jellyroll or 9-by-13 inch baking pans. Bake at 325°F for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so, until the seeds begin to brown and the granola is fragrant. Remove it from the oven and let cool in the pan to room temperature.
Check the granola; if sticky, continue dehydrating or baking until it is thoroughly crunchy and dry at room temperature. When done, mix in the currants and store the granola in a well-sealed container at room temperature.
Julie Laing is a Bigfork-based cookbook author and food blogger. Learn more about this month’s granola and sprout-growing workshops at TwiceAsTasty.com.