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Quinoa Granola

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Looking for a healthy granola? Quinoa granola is easy to make and packed with 9 real, good-for-you ingredients! Unlike other quinoa granola recipes, protein-packed quinoa fully replaces the oats. Naturally sweetened with honey, this recipe is gluten free, vegan, soy free, dairy free, and oat free.

There’s one kind of granola I bet you haven’t tried…QUINOA granola! There are a lot of fantastic granola recipes out there, so let’s talk about WHY you should try this one:

  1. Quinoa has 40% more protein per serving than oats.
  2. Unlike oats, the protein found in quinoa is a complete protein, meaning it contains all 20 amino acids, giving your body all the building blocks it needs to use protein.
  3. Quinoa is tasty! This recipe uses both quinoa flakes (like oats in texture) AND regular quinoa. This gives a traditional granola texture and an extra (delightful) crunch.
  4. Real food. This recipe uses less than 10 REAL and healthy ingredients including proteins and healthy fats, and is naturally sweetened with honey
9-ingredient Quinoa Granola is a wholesome breakfast, or snack!


If you haven’t tried quinoa and/or quinoa flakes yet, don’t be intimidated by them!

The flakes are smaller than oats but they bring a very similar texture. Paired with the sliced almonds and large coconut flakes, you’ll get some great granola clusters and everyone loves the clusters, right??

WHAT IS QUINOA?

If you’re new to quinoa, here’s the rundown:

Quinoa is the seed of a gluten free flowering plant and similar in size and texture to couscous once cooked.

We often use it as a healthier substitute for rice or even to make a decadent Gluten Free Chocolate Cake (yes really!)

In their natural state, quinoa seeds are coated with something called saponins. This gives them a bitter taste (but is harmless) so you’ll either need to buy a product that is pre-rinsed or rinse it yourself and then allow it to dry before using in this recipe.

This healthy granola uses quinoa as a substitute for oats! Just 9 real ingredients , it's gluten free, dairy free, vegan, soy free, and oat free!

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE QUINOA GRANOLA

You’ll just need 9 ingredients, and you probably already have most in your kitchen but I want to go over a few that might be new to you.

Quinoa flakes can be difficult to find in stores, so I order this brand from Amazon which is certified gluten free and organic.

I also usually buy a pre-rinsed quinoa like this one so I don’t have to rinse and dry the whole quinoa before making granola.

You can use any kind of coconut, but I like to use large, unsweetened coconut flakes. I feel like the larger coconut flakes add to the overall texture of the quinoa granola, and aren’t as likely to burn.

Quinoa Granola

Here’s a few ways you can eat quinoa granola, but feel free to come up with your own and share in the comments!

  1. As a breakfast cereal with your milk of choice
  2. Create a yogurt parfait with Greek yogurt and top with fresh or frozen berries, chia seeds, and quinoa granola
  3. Add your favorite mix-ins to make a trail mix! Chocolate chips or chunks, dried fruit, and nuts make a great addition

If you want to have MORE granola on hand, this recipe can easily be doubled to make a larger batch, just spread onto two separate baking sheets!

Step by step instructions here:

Quinoa Granola

Quinoa Granola

Yield: 3 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Additional Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours

All the flavor and crunch of granola, without the oats! This quinoa granola is packed with protein and naturally sweetened with honey.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup gluten free quinoa flakes
  • 1/2 cup gluten free quinoa, uncooked (use one that is pre-rinsed)
  • 1/2 cup gluten free sliced almonds
  • 1/2 cup gluten free coconut
  • 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted (I used unrefined)
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup raisins, dried cranberries, and/or dark chocolate ***add these after baking

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together quinoa flakes, quinoa, sliced almonds, coconut, cinnamon, and sea salt.
  3. Add melted coconut oil, honey, and vanilla. Stir until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
  4. Spread onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Leave some packed together to create clusters.
  5. Bake for 1 hour, gently stir the granola, and then bake another 20-30 minutes depending on how crunchy you like the granola. It will get a little crunchier as it cools, too.
  6. Once the granola is cool, stir in any add-ins if you want and store in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks.

Notes

Use quinoa granola any way that you would use granola! As a breakfast cereal with milk, a yogurt topping, or by the handful.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 414Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 221mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 5gSugar: 30gProtein: 6g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Looking for a healthy granola? Quinoa granola is easy to make and packed with 9 real, good-for-you ingredients! Unlike other quinoa granola recipes, protein-packed quinoa fully replaces the oats. Naturally sweetened with honey, this recipe is gluten free, vegan, soy free, dairy free, and oat free.

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Lisa Mathiasen

Wednesday 8th of May 2024

Hi, was just curious what a serving size would be ?

Janet

Sunday 10th of September 2023

This sounds perfect. Mine is in the oven i doubled it knowing it was going to be delicious. My goal is to use it for apple crumble keep you posted on that result

thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com

Tuesday 12th of September 2023

Can't wait to hear how it turns out!

sinem

Thursday 31st of October 2019

Hello! I tried the recipe but the quinoas were hard to chew although I even sprouted them. shouldn't I expect them crunchy but easy to eat? Thanks xoxo

Jay

Saturday 10th of October 2020

This looks amazing! I ran out of coconut oil, is there a sub I could use?

thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com

Wednesday 6th of November 2019

Hmmmm, I haven't had a problem with the quinoa being too crunchy. Maybe it is a different type of quinoa you're using?

Jules Shepard

Friday 22nd of March 2019

I fall more in love with quinoa daily! Can't wait to try this yummy recipe!

Katrina

Saturday 3rd of June 2017

This sounds amazing! (And might I add waaay cheaper than gluten free granola at the store!) can't wait to make this!

thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com

Monday 5th of June 2017

Thanks Katrina, I hope you love it! ~Celeste

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