I love granola! I’m on a trip, and granola makes the perfect bring along breakfast(or snack in your hotel room when there’s no healthy food available, just in case that’s ever happened to you). Most granolas are full of processed sugars and oils, and it’s pretty hard to find one free of nuts. I made this granola with no refined sugar or nuts, so it’s safe for all issues, as well as being oil free! Date paste is the sugar component of this recipe. It’s so easy to make and it’s a better form of sugar (however, sugar is sugar, so be sure not to consume too much in any form). By soaking dates in hot water and adding just enough water to puree them, you can have date paste as a replacement for traditional sugars. Dates are high in fiber, as well as magnesium and potassium. Due to their high fiber content, the natural sugars in dates are released more slowly, and don’t lead to a spike in sugar levels. This granola is awesome as a hand tossed snack, with some almond milk and fresh fruit, on top of my Perfect Pumpkin Pudding (seriously, it goes perfectly!), or as a parfait with my Cinnamon Chia Pudding and Strawberry Rhubarb Compote.
Oats are great regulators of blood sugar, as well as helping to lower cholesterol levels. They’re also high in fiber, which is great for digestive health, regulating blood pressure, and increasing satiety. The seeds and tahini provide good sources of plant-based protein, without added processed fats.
*Note-Ingredients are pictured using lemon, however, I found orange zest and juice to be the best (I have made both ways). Both are easily interchangeable if you don’t have one or the other. 
Ingredients:
- 3 cups whole oats
- 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
- 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- 2 1/2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup mix raisins, dates, & craisins (soaked warm water for 10 min and drained)
- 1 tsp orange zest (or lemon)*
- 2 tbsp fresh orange juice (or lemon)*
- 1/2 cup date paste
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325.
- Mix all ingredients except dried fruit and zest together.
- Place on baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper. Bake 25 minutes, until slightly browned.
- Toss with zest and dried fruit, return to oven for 8-10 minutes, until golden.
- Cool, and store.
- Or serve with Perfect Pumpkin Pudding or as a healthy snack/breakfast.
- 3 cups whole oats
- 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
- 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- 2½ tbsp tahini
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ cup mix raisins, dates, & craisins (soaked warm water for 10 min and drained)
- 1 tsp orange zest (or lemon)*
- 2 tbsp fresh orange juice (or lemon)*
- ½ cup date paste
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- 1¼ tsp ginger
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- Preheat oven to 325.
- Mix all ingredients except dried fruit and zest together.
- Place on baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper. Bake 25 minutes, until slightly browned.
- Toss with zest and dried fruit, return to oven for 5-10 minutes, until golden.
- Cool, and store.
- Or serve with Perfect Pumpkin Pudding or as a healthy snack/breakfast.
How long can you store this and do you keep it in the cupboard or the fridge? It sounds delicious.
You can store on counter or fridge Gail. I keep on counter for about a week. I think it stays a bit more crunchy that way, but no prob putting it in the fridge.
What does “both sunflower seeds ” mean?
Thanks Carol-it was a typo 🙂 I changed it!