Sprouted Grain-Free Granola and Granola Bars

Vegetarian  ✻  Grain-Free  ✻  Gluten-Free  ✻  Dairy-free  ✻  Naturally Sweetened

This grain free date sweetened and sprouted granola is awesome for hiking, the kids love it as an afternoon snack, and it's really beautiful to give as a gift. It’s protein and mineral rich, super delicious, and great to make ahead! Below is a base recipe, but you can use whatever mix of nuts and seeds you like or have at home. I have also included some nutrient-dense optional add-ins for you to try. I always like to keep a batch of sprouted grain-free granola mix and bars on-hand and I think you will too!​

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Some insights on nourishment:
This recipe is sweetened with dates! Many granolas and bars are LOADED with multiple refined sweeteners like rice syrup and/or high fructose corn syrup which are not supportive for healing or nourishment. We limit/avoid highly processed sugar sources like these, as much as possible, so I love that this recipe. It is still sweet and inviting while supporting wellness goals!

Sprouting is fantastic, but a friendly reminder that just soaking is okay too! 
It is important to soak or soak and sprout nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes whenever possible. Doing so, increases nutrient accessibility and makes certain plants easier to digest ensuring you get the most nutrition from each bite (1). Check out my post on Soaking and Sprouting Nuts, Seeds, Legumes, & Grains to learn more about maximizing the nutrition of plant foods and helpful tips on getting started.


Serving size for granola: 6.5-7 servings
Number of servings for granola: 1 cup

Number of servings for granola bars: 12 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped sprouted pecans
• 1 cup chopped sprouted walnuts
• 1 cup chopped  sprouted almonds
• 16 medjool dates finely chopped (16-20) 1. 5 cups packed
• 1/3 cup avocado oil 
• ¾ cup egg whites (for making bars only)
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp salt
• ⅓ cup nut butter (I like cashew butter)

Note: Cashews also work great in this recipe!

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. This recipe works well with both finely or coarsely chopped dates and nuts for basic granola. Your preference!  
3. For making bars: You will also be adding egg whites. For bars, you will want to finely chop the ingredients or pulse them in a food processor to blend more easily together.
4. Prepare a 9x13 pan with parchment paper. Press the nut mixture into the bottom of the pan. For bars, press extra well. 
5. Bake for 16 minutes. Allow the granola to cool for 5 minutes, then gently slide the parchment paper to remove them from the pan. If you made bars, use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to slice the bars into rectangles of the size you'd like.
6. This recipe stores well in the fridge or in the freezer and really perfect for weekly snack prep.

COMBO Ideas:

• Chocolate Covered Coconut: Add in ¾ cup unsweetened coconut flakes and 3 Tbsp cacao powder to mix. Stop here or add a sprinkle of chocolate chips (regular or vegan)

• Cherry Chocolate Chunk: Add in 1/4 cup dried unsweetened cranberries, blueberries, or cherries and 3 Tbsp cacao powder to mix.

• Strawberry Banana Blast: Add in ¼ cup dehydrated unsweetened strawberries and ¼ cup dehydrated unsweetened banana chips. Great dipped into dairy-free yogurt!

• Sprouted walnuts are a nice source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids. To boost omega-3s (helping to lower inflammation) and to get more fiber, add in ¼ cup sprouted flax seed and. To maximize nutrition, chop or grind sprouted flax into powder before use.

• Try topping bars with dollop of non-dairy yogurt, pumpkin puree, or extra nut butter and enjoy crumbled granola with your favorite nut milk or as part of your next trail-mix

Resource:
Kooienga, Mckel, MS, RDN, LDN. (2020, August). How to Use Soaking and Sprouting (And why it is beneficial!). Found on www.nutritionstripped.com.