Let's Make Gluten-Free Granola!

Comfort food.  Yummy stuff.  That’s what granola is.  That sweet, crunchy goodness.  I love it.  For a while, I thought I had to give granola up because I’m gluten-free.  The problem is that conventional oats are often grown in the same field as wheat, harvested with the same equipment, and shipped in reused wheat bags.  But now we have RS ELISA certified gluten-free oats.  They are not grown in the same fields as wheat, and the farmers pledge not to harvest with the same equipment or transport with wheat.  Voila!  Problem solved.

But enough of that.  Bring on the granola!  The recipe is written out below, and here are some pictures to help guide you (and tempt you).

Here you see the nine simple ingredients:  Gluten-free quick oats, sliced almonds, ghee (how to make ghee), raisins, honey, maple syrup, raw sunflower seeds, cinnamon, and sea salt.

Add your quick oats, almonds, raisins, and sunflower seeds to a large bowl.  I place the bowl on a scale.  It makes it so much easier to just place everything in one bowl and not dirty measuring cups.

Add your ghee, honey, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt to a small pan.  Again, I do this on a scale.

Heat the ghee mixture over low heat, stirring with a whisk until combined and melted.  Then pour that mixture over the oat mixture.  Mix well.  This takes some doing, but you want everything coated with the ghee mixture.

Place in a pan and bake at 300 degrees.  Here you see the mixture spread evenly and pressed down hard with the back of a spatula for its final 7-minute bake (see directions below).  This will ensure that it bakes and cools in one slab.

Let the mixture cool completely and then break apart.  Here you can see that it comes up in big chunks.  Store it in a zip lock bag, unless you eat it all before you get the bag open.  The recipe makes two pounds.  Doesn't it look delicious?

4 cups (363 g/12.8 oz) certified gluten-free quick oats
1 cup (170 g/6 oz) raisins
1/2 cup (48 g/1.7 oz) sliced almonds
1/2 cup (68 g/2.4 oz) raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup (113 g/4 oz) ghee (how to make ghee)
1/2 cup (170 g/6 oz) honey
1/4 cup (78 g/2.75 oz) maple syrup
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, and raisins in a large bowl. Combine ghee, honey, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt in a small pan over low heat and whisk until melted and combined. Pour honey mixture over oat mixture and mix well. This takes a bit of mixing with a large spoon, so be patient. You want everything coated with the honey mixture. Spread the granola out in a roasting pan. I use an 18x13 nonstick roasting pan. You can also use a jelly roll pan, but I like the roasting pan because it has higher sides. Bake for 15 minutes. Stir and turn over the mixture well and bake for 7 minutes. Stir again and bake for another 7 minutes. Then stir well and spread evenly in pan. Flatten mixture down with the back of a spatula. Press well until it's one solid sheet. Bake another 7 minutes. (So you have a total baking time of 36 minutes.) Remove from oven and let cool. It will be crumbly when you first remove it from the oven, so don't touch it. Let it cool and it will solidify. Break mixture into chunks and store. Makes two pounds.

TIPS:  I use Bob’s Red Mill certified gluten-free quick oats.  No, I don’t get paid to say that.  I just love these oats.  Use a scale for accurate measure and easier cleanup.  Ghee is expensive, so make your own.  You can use butter, but the cooled chunks won’t hold together nearly as well and you will have a “loose” granola.  It will still be delicious, though.