Date Sweetened, Oil Free Granola

This stuff is:
MAGIC.
​

Crunchy.
Subtly sweet.
Cluster-y.
Nutty.
Savory.
Yum.

FIRST OFF, HAPPY JUNE 1ST!

​I am so excited to share with you my new and improved granola recipe! Well I suppose it's only new to you- as I've never posted my granola recipe here cause I always knew it wasn't exactly the way I wanted it to be. YET. Until now folks. UNTIL now. 
I have been putting this on everything! Toast, coconut ice cream and just plain as a snack is also amazing!
* P.s. I know cluster-y is not a word. I do however, like to make up my own words. It's quite fun. 

So I wanted to make a granola that had no added syrup sweeteners or sugar. Although I have no problem with maple syrup & coconut sugar. This was just something I wanted for my granola.
I love that this granola also can be eaten like cereal. Probably my favorite part about it. I used to love cereal- especially Kashi cereal. The cluster-y kind. See what I did there ;)

Any who. I hope you'll try it out! Please let me know if you have any questions in the comments below- and obviously please let me know if you make it & how you like it! If you're on instagram tag me with your re-creations. ​

DATE SWEETENED, OIL FREE GRANOLA
Recipe by: Krysten Jorgensen, The Daily Kale

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups gluten free oats
• 10-12 pitted dates or roughly 1/2 cup (soaked in hot water for 5 minutes & drained)
• 1/4 cup buckwheat groats
• 1/4 unsalted almonds
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 3 tbsp. almond butter 
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon 
• 1/4 tsp pink salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325. 
2. In a small pot boil about 1/2 cup of water. Turn off after boiling and place the dates in the hot water to soak for 5 minutes. Then drain the dates.
3. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray a bit of coconut oil evenly on the paper.
4. In a food processor blend the dates & the almond butter together.
5. In a bowl mix together everything except the dates & almond butter mixture.
6. Now add in the wet, date/almond butter mixture into the dry mixture in bowl until it's all evenly combined.
7. Place the mixture onto your pan and pat down so that it's all even.
8. Bake for 15 minutes. Toss around for extra crunchy granola or leave it as is for slightly chewy granola. 
9. Bake for another 15-20 minutes. Keeping an eye on it closely as it can burn quickly.
10. Let it cool in pan after taking it out of the oven.
11. *Very important last step*: Make sure it's completely room temperature before storing. Once you put it in an air container if it's even the slightest of warm still it will turn into stale tasting granola. You don't want that! So make sure it's completely cool/room temperature. I leave mine out for an hour or two to make sure this doesn't happen.