N° 73: Easy Grain-Free Granola

Good morning,

Last week, I wondered how well I could make a grain-free granola work. Grains (usually rolled oats) are the single most significant ingredient in most granola recipes, so what would happen if I were to replace them something else, something completely different?—not another grain like puffed rice or even popped corn (which I tried a few months ago and was good but for all of the stony unpopped kernels).

I sated my curiosity the usual way: with several experiments in the kitchen. Starting from my favorite granola recipe, the Olive Oil Granola with Pistachios & Cherries from Good & Sweet, I auditioned a few replacements for the oats: chia seeds, sliced almonds, flaxseed meal, even chickpea flour.

Now, why would you want a grain-free granola? Maybe you’re a protein addict, or maybe you’re starch-avoidant. That’s between you and your god. All I’m saying is this recipe produces a delicious product for which my informal poll made it clear that people want the recipe. So here it is!*

Thanks for reading this. Talk to you soon. By the way, I’m really excited to share my next Formal Assignment with you soon. Hint: it’s an interview.

Brian

*Formal Assignment P.S. is for paid subscribers. It’s less than $3/month for an annual subscription. There are reduced annual fees available. Just ask!

Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Grain-free, Fruit-sweetened, Vegan option

Here’s my description, which equally applies to the new version, of the original Olive Oil Granola with Pistachios & Cherries from Good & Sweet:

I once ate dinner at a very fancy restaurant that sent me home with granola as a parting gift. That granola—okay, and a housemade celery soda—is the only foodstuff I remember from that meal. Its combination of earthy pistachios, fruity olive oil, and sweet-tart dried cherries was fabulous. Here is my version.

In the version below, the oats are replaced with an ingredient that yields an extra-crunchy, and lighter than you’d expect, granola. All nuts and seeds should be raw and unsalted. As I’ve said before, “Date sugar isn’t too hard to find these days, but let me know if you need me to point you in the right direction.”

Yield: 2 1/4 pounds (1 kg)
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 2 1/2 hours (includes baking, drying, and cooling)

INGREDIENTS: