I have been on such a kick with freeze-dried fruit lately. It started with our trip to Iceland , where I brought some freeze-dried berries to put into our pancake mix.
And ever since, I’ve been finding ways to add these little flavor gems into my recipes. Today’s recipe actually started out just being freeze-dried berries added to my Maple Cinnamon Granola .
But then I tweaked it just slightly to make the berry flavor really pop with a hint of lemon and almond extract. So even though this recipe isn’t exactly re-inventing the wheel or anything, it’s delicious enough to deserve its own little spot here on the blog.
How to make this granola
- Mix together all the dry ingredients until the spices and lemon zest are well combined.
- Add the liquid and stir again until combined (see photo below).
- Spread the granola evenly over a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake until golden, then let the granola get crispy by cooling down in the oven.
- Cool completely on a rack before stirring in the strawberries.
- Store in an airtight container, and use within 2-3 weeks.
Tips
- Grate the lemon zest with a microplane grater for very fine zest that blends in perfectly to the granola. 2. Don’t skip the step of letting the granola cool with the oven after it’s turned off. This step is essential to crunchy granola that doesn’t get soggy later when it’s stored.
What to serve this with
- Any milk of your choice for the classic combo, cashew milk has been my latest favorite.
- Any yogurt of your choice, my go-to is any Icelandic-style yogurt I can find here locally, along with sliced bananas and/or berries.
- As a topping for any smoothie bowl, this Strawberry Banana one in particular.
More granola recipes you might enjoy
- Chocolate Covered Almond Coconut Granola
- Paleo Granola Dust
- Maple Cinnamon Granola
- Double Pumpkin Pie Granola
- Banana Chai Granola
This recipe is so bright and fresh-tasting for a baked dish that I can already guarantee it’s going to be a staple on our summer adventuring weekends. I hope you enjoy this one too, and if you do make it, I would love it if you tagged me on Instagram, or left me a comment down below. It always makes my day to hear from you and see what you’ve made!
INGREDIENTS1x2x3x
- 3 cups big flake coconut - unsweetened
- 1 cup shredded coconut - unsweetened
- 2 cups cashew halves
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp lemon zest - grated with a microplane
- 1/2 cup maple syrup - I used Grade A amber
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1.2 ounce freeze-dried strawberries
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together both types of coconut, cashews, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, sea salt, and lemon zest until well combined.
- Add the maple syrup , lemon juice, vanilla extract , avocado oil , and almond extract. Mix again to completely combine.
- Spread the granola in an even layer and bake for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through. When the baking time is done, turn off the oven. Then stir the granola thoroughly with the oven door open to release some of the heat, and leave it in the oven to cool down and crisp up for at least 2 hours.
- I usually make this at night when I’m already making dinner, and then just leave it to cool down in the oven overnight, where it’s ready for the next morning.
- After the 2 hours have passed, completely cool the granola on a wire cooling rack until it’s room temperature. Then stir in the freeze-dried strawberries, and store it in an airtight container. For the best freshness, use the granola within 2-3 weeks.
nutrition facts
Grain Free Strawberry Granola
Ingredients
- 3 cups big flake coconut unsweetened
- 1 cup shredded coconut unsweetened
- 2 cups cashew halves
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp lemon zest grated with a microplane
- 1/2 cup maple syrup I used Grade A amber
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1.2 ounce freeze-dried strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together both types of coconut, cashews, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, sea salt, and lemon zest until well combined.
- Add the maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla extract, avocado oil, and almond extract. Mix again to completely combine.
- Spread the granola in an even layer and bake for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through. When the baking time is done, turn off the oven. Then stir the granola thoroughly with the oven door open to release some of the heat, and leave it in the oven to cool down and crisp up for at least 2 hours.
- I usually make this at night when I’m already making dinner, and then just leave it to cool down in the oven overnight, where it’s ready for the next morning.
- After the 2 hours have passed, completely cool the granola on a wire cooling rack until it’s room temperature. Then stir in the freeze-dried strawberries, and store it in an airtight container. For the best freshness, use the granola within 2-3 weeks.
Nutrition
The recipe Grain Free Strawberry Granola appeared first on Get Inspired Everyday! on April 8, 2019
https://getinspiredeveryday.com/food/grain-free-strawberry-granola/
