Vanilla Coconut Granola- A Paleo, Grain Free Recipe

Guess what??  I fell off the clean eating wagon with our recent move.  Yep, apparently there's nothing like a combination of moving half way across the country, starting a new business, adjusting two 4 year olds to a new life, and moving in with your in laws to make you begin to inhale alllll the bread around you.  All joking aside, Arshia and I noticed a little weight creeping in combined with that sluggish uncomfortable feeling and we both knew - it was once again time to cut out all of the crap from our diet.  Upon that realization we made a deal - no sugar and limited bread for 30 days, we are only two days in and I am feeling fantastic.  We have done this before, and the idea is that cutting this type of food out for 30 days makes your body not crave it anymore, after that it's not necessarily a "restricted" food/s to us, but we just don't usually have the desire to indulge in sweets and carbs after that time frame.  It's simply a reset, and one that we needed so badly!

So first things first, I had to find a way to make breakfast healthier again.  My dear father in law who is beyond amazing, cooks for us every morning and for that we are blessed.  However, my dear father in law loves bread, cheese, and jams with breakfast and when I am exhausted I have a real problem with will power which led to me eating loads of bread every morning.  I also didn't want to go the overnight oats route which I routinely did last year because I want to cut out grains as much as possible during this time so I came up with a way to make grain free granola!  I now enjoy it most mornings in a bowl with coconut milk and eat it the way I would cereal and not only is it so delicious but a relatively small amount is super filling and gets me by for several hours before needing to eat again.  This granola recipe is also Paleo, Vegan, and Gluten Free so it should fit into any healthy eating diet.  And the other great thing?  Its easy, oh so easy to make!  I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do, I plan to make other variations in the future so keep a look out for those if you find yourself enjoying this recipe!!

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Ingredients

1 Cup Chopped Pecans

1 Cup Chopped Almonds

1/2 Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut or Flakes

1/4 Cup Pumpkin Seeds

1/4 Cup Chia Seeds

1/4 Cup Coconut Slices/Pieces

1/4 Cup Raw Honey

1 Tablespoon Melted Coconut Oil

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Bean Paste or Vanilla Extract

1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon

Grain Free Vanilla & Coconut Granola Recipe

Begin by preheating your oven to 300 degrees and line a baking tray with parchment paper.  Next melt your coconut oil in the microwave for about 20- 45 seconds (do about 10 seconds at a time so as to not burn the oil).  While microwaving combine all dry ingredients (nuts, seeds and coconut) in a large bowl and mix to combine well.

  Remove the melted coconut from the microwave and add your honey, vanilla, and cinnamon to this bowl and mix together well.

  Combine this wet mixture into the larger bowl of dry mixture and mix well to coat evenly.  Once well mixed spread the granola evenly on the baking tray, spreading out to make one even layer.

  Place in your preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes depending on the amount of toastiness you desire (I love mine really brown and toasted!).  While baking you will want to keep a very close eye on the granola and stir occasionally so that it does not burn.  Once baked let cool to room temperature and then place in an airtight container.  Serve with fruit and coconut milk for an oatmeal/cereal like option or eat dry for a tasty snack!