Paleo Granola Recipe with Coconut and Sprouted Seeds

Granola is an example of life or death food when it comes to nutrition. It can either be extremely healthy and full of vitamins, proteins, and enzymes or... packed full of sugar, vegetable oil, and a variety of processed grains and dried fruit. Granola may be delicious, but it’s often deceptively not nutritious. Don’t get us wrong- we LOVE granola and our love has fueled us to create a paleo granola recipe that is:

1. Grain Free
2. Gluten Free
3. Low Sugar
4. High Protein
5. Delicious!!!

We’ve sweetened with date paste. Date paste is an excellent alternative to liquid sweeteners because it’s in whole food form and a great option when you want a fully dry (not sticky) product. A little goes a long way and it’s easy to make and economical.You can make it easy on yourself and soak all nuts and seeds in the refrigerator overnight. Don’t be intimidated about the precision of soaking times.

| Granola Ingredients |

• 2 cups raw almonds, soaked for 6-8 hours
• 2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, soaked for 2-4 hours
• 1 cup raw sunflower seeds, soaked for 2-4 hours
• ½ cup hemp seeds
• ¼ cup chia seeds
• 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds (this acts as a binder)
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger or 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 cup date paste *
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 4-5 drops liquid stevia, we like Omica Organics (optional)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

| Directions |

1) Drain and rinse all soaked nuts and seeds with filtered water. Toss all ingredients together and stir until well combined. Taste and adjust flavor to your liking. Keep in mind the sweetness and flavor will intensify once the granola is cooked.2) Spread evenly on dehydrator sheets and dehydrate at 115 for 6-8 hours. Once the granola is dry on top-  remove from sheets, flip, and dehydrate for another 6-8 hours or until it is completely dry and crisp.3) We sprouted all of our seeds and used the dehydrator to make a truly raw granola, but if you don’t have a dehydrator you can bake in the oven on low heat for approximately 1 hour.4) Granola will keep in an airtight container for several months. To increase freshness we like to store our granola in the freezer.

| Date Paste Ingredients |

• 1 cup dates, soaked for 30 minutes
• 2 cups water

| Directions |

Blend until smooth.This makes approximately 2 cups date paste. Date paste will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks and can be used as a substitute for liquid sweeteners in a variety of recipes.