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snack

Fall Spiced Paleo Granola – Gluten free, grain free, refined sugar free

Fall Spiced Paleo Granola – Gluten free, grain free, refined sugar free

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I love granola. Like I REALLY love it. There’s something about the crunch and sweetness…and oh a good granola is just oh so delicious to me. I think it’s because I secretly have this intense love of cereal with milk. Basic I know. I just love it. But as my diet has changed, my milk of choice has changed, and so has my cereal. I now prefer to make my own granola so I can control exactly what goes into it.

This granola is LOADED with nuts and seeds and packed full of protein and healthy fats to keep you fuller for longer. As we studied the ketogenic diet to understand if it could help our daughters epilepsy, we discovered that while it is nearly impossible to overeat carbs, which mess with your insulin and blood sugar, causing weight gain or retention, brain fog, overall sluggishness, your body has built-in signals to stop you from eating too much protein or fat. Think of it like this….you go to the movies and buy a large bucket of popcorn. You down the whole thing without thinking twice. But if that same bucket was filled with cheese, just cheese, you wouldn’t be able to! And if you did, you would be one sick individual. So the moral of the story is, fill up on protein and healthy fats rather than empty carbs.

And lucky for you, this granola while it does have some carbs, has way more fat and protein. It also has just the right consistency to create these most beautiful granola clusters. I don’t know about you, but I really dislike crumbly granola. It needs to be easy to pick up and snack on.

I hope you enjoy making this as much as I do! It’s so simple, even the tiniest of bakers can help.

Print Recipe

Fall Spiced Paleo Granola - Grain free, Refined Sugar free, Gluten Free

This fall spied paleo granola is the perfect on the go snack, topping for yogurt, or eaten like cereal with some coconut milk.
Prep Time5 mins
Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Breakfast, Dairyfree, fall, glutenfree, grainfree, granola, Healthy, Paleo, sheetpan, snacks
Servings: 8
Calories: 455kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup almonds roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup hemp seeds
  • 3 tbsp chia seeds
  • 3 tbsp ground flax seeds
  • 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 3 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 tbsp coconut oil melted
  • 1/4 cup raw honey
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp cloves
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/8 tsp cardamom

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350
  • Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl
  • Melt the coconut oil
  • Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well to endure everything is covered
  • Place mix on a parchment-covered baking sheet and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.You will want to start checking it around 13 mins to prevent any burning.
  • Remove from oven once it is a nice golden brown color - not burnt- and let sit until it cools entirely. This will help create the nice crunchy clusters. It will still be soft as you bring it out. That's okay! Be patient.
  • Enjoy your fall inspired granola!

Notes

You could totally sub out almonds for pecans, or walnuts, or any of the seeds for something different as well. You cannot however sub or lower the amount of honey more than a smidge and get the same result. The honey is what binds it together and creates these delicious granola clusters I love so much. 

If you try this recipe, and like it, please comment below and tell me about it!!

Dry Roasted Ranch Almonds

Dry Roasted Ranch Almonds

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I don’t know about you, but I am a professional snacker. Like if you could get paid for snacking, I would be the CEO.

When I’m breastfeeding, I am hungry all the time and being keto and paleo, I need snacks that won’t kick me out of ketosis, and are good for me…and easy to make and take because I’m a busy mom and I don’t have time for nonsense.

I love flavored almonds, but the store-bought kind are typically filled with junk like maltodextrin and sunflower or canola oil. I’m not about that life. So I set out to make my own.

And *spoiler alert*….THEY ARE SO EASY and YUMMY!

Dry roasting almonds is as simple as putting them on a pan in the oven(while it’s on, of course) and watching and smelling them as they toast. It’s a relatively quick process, and you’ll want to keep watching them because the difference between nicely roasted and burnt can be just a few minutes. Mine usually take about 15 minutes at 350, but my oven is literally older than me(it’s 32 years old. And yes, I have no idea how it is still working), so it’s not always the most reliable with very touchy things like roasting almonds.

And the seasoning. Let. Me. Tell. You. It is so simple and so tasty. Once you realize how simple ranch seasoning is, you’ll be putting it on everything. Like chicken, bacon, popcorn(if you eat it), veggies, EVERYTHING. It’s a staple in our household.

I use avocado oil to coat my almonds in mainly because it’s fairly flavorless and one of my favorite nutrient-dense fats to use, but you could use coconut or olive oil, just know that it may change the taste and may need slightly less or more.

These ranch almonds are just the right snack for waiting in those pick-up lines at school, packing in lunches, or eating while you binge Gilmore Girls and the Office on Netflix. Just me?

Let me know what you think in the comments below! And keep your eyes peeled for future flavor combinations.

Print Recipe

Ranch Seasoned Dry Roasted Almonds

These savory almonds are one of the best snacks to munch on when you're on the run! Or when you're watching Netflix.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Cuisine: American
Keyword: glutenfree, Healthy, keto, lowcarb, Paleo, ranch, snacks

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Raw Almonds
  • Avocado Oil Spray
  • 1/2 tsp Avocado oil you can also use olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp dried chives
  • 1/4 tsp dried parsley
  • 1/8 tsp dried dill
  • 1/8 tsp onion powder
  • 1/8 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt

Instructions

  • First, preheat your oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  • Next, you will spread out your almonds on the baking sheet and bake for about 10-15 minutes, shaking the pan gently halfway through. Make sure that your almonds are whole. Sliced almonds will roast faster and could burn. You will know they're done when they start to turn a nice warm brown color. Almonds can burn easily, so watch them closely.
  • While they are baking, add your seasonings to a small mixing bowl and stir.
  • Immediately after removing your almonds from the oven, spray them evenly with your avocado oil spray.
  • Next, add your almonds to the bowl with your herbs and spices and mix, making sure they are well coated. Add approx. a 1/2 tsp of additional oil after coating and mix again.
  • Spread the almonds back on the baking sheet to dry.
  • After 10 minutes, use a spoon or spatula to transfer to your jar of choice.
  • Enjoy!!