Low-Carb Sugar-Free Granola from About.com

By battlecj

Feel free to substitute any nuts or seeds you like in this recipe, but the flax meal is essential, and the coconut is helpful. These will absorb the liquids and this is what will form the clumps -- otherwise you just have toasted nuts and seeds with some flavoring. Because it is totally nuts and seeds, it is pretty rich. If you want to bulk it up, you can add or substitute some TVP (this would also add protein) or oatmeal (if your carb tolerance and diet plan allow)

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 1 cup raw walnuts
• 1 cup raw pecans
• 1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup flax seed meal
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter or coconut oil
• 1/2 cup sugar-free maple-flavored syrup (I used Vermont Sugar-Free)

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat oven to 300 F. Cover baking sheet with sides with a silicon mat or greased parchment paper.

2. Roughly chop the nuts. You can do this in a food processor, but if you do, start with the harder nuts -- the almonds in this recipe or filberts (hazelnuts) if you use them. Once they are chopped up a bit you can add the softer nuts (walnuts, pecans). Otherwise the softer ones will become meal before the hard ones are chopped.

3. Melt the butter or coconut oil - you can microwave it in the bowl you're going to use for mixing (although you can mix right on the baking sheet), if you wish.

4. Mix the syrup and coconut oil or butter together.

5. Combine the nuts, coconut, seeds, and salt. If you're doing this on the baking sheet, add the water first and mix (hands work best), and then the oil/butter and syrup mixture. Otherwise, just combine it all in a bowl and turn out onto the baking sheet. Press into an even layer.

6. At this point, it's good to taste it. It's going to end up tasting a little less sweet, so judge your own desire for sweetness and add more if you want.

7. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Twice during the baking, stir the mixture with a large spoon and press back down. After the second time, don't move it around any more. Bake until fragrant and lightly browned on the surface.

8. Let cool completely in pan. It will crisp as it cools. Store in sealed container. Serve with yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. If you like, add dehyrdrated blueberries or strawberries, such as Trader Joe's carries.

Make about 6 cups -- 12 servings.

Nutritional Information: Each serving has 4 grams effective carbohydrate plus 6 grams fiber (10 grams total carbohydrate), 7 grams protein, and 292 calories.