I know exactly what your 2021 needs: another granola recipe!

You probably have oodles of favorite homemade granola recipe go-to’s (mine is this one, weekly), but you may not have one quite like this!

This grain-free granola is made with a mixture of raw nuts (almonds, cashews, macadamia, Brazil nuts, pistachios, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts – whatever you have on hand), creamy and nutty tahini, sweet and fresh orange zest, and rich cacao. It’s lightly sweetened with maple syrup and uses just a pinch of cinnamon and flaky sea salt to bring out all the amazing flavors.

Try this gluten-free granola sprinkled overtop of yogurt or your favorite smoothie bowl, or enjoyed with creamy cashew milk poured on top. If you’re craving even more chocolate goodness, add in a handful (or three) of chocolate chips to this recipe – you’ll find the how-to in the notes section below.

Packed with a variety of nuts, this granola is an excellent source of healthy fats, fiber, and protein.

Nuts (the star of this grain-free granola) contain mostly monounsaturated fat, as well as omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fat. Numerous studies have associated nut consumption with lowered (bad) LDL cholesterol and increased (good) HDL cholesterol, supportive to hearth health, reduced risk of hypertension, and decreased risk of type-II diabetes.

Make sure to choose raw, unsalted nuts for this granola recipe. The ingredient label should read just one ingredient: the nuts themselves! Often, packaged nuts are loaded with oils, salt, and a plethora of other artificial flavors and ingredients.

Store raw nuts in the refrigerator (I like to keep them in glass jars, so I can see them) or in the freezer for long term storage.

Rich cacao + sweet citrus + creamy tahini + crunchy nuts = a nutty and addictive granola recipe to brighten up winter mornings.

Grain-Free Chocolate Orange Tahini Granola

Makes about 6 cups

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

3 cups mixed raw nuts of choice (almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans, etc.)
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
¼ cup maple syrup
1/3 cup tahini
2 tbsp. cacao powder
1 ½ tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. flaky sea salt
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300F and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Roughly chop mixed nuts and add to a large bowl along with remainder of ingredients. Mix very well to combine.
3. Spread granola on baking tray in a single layer.
4. Bake granola 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes (the granola may still be a bit sticky – it’s ok, it will harden as it cools) before breaking apart into large granola chunks.
5. Store granola in an airtight jar for up to 14 days. I like to store mine in the refrigerator for optimal crunchiness! Enjoy!

Notes:

-If you aren’t nuts about all the nuts, add in a variety of your favorite seeds: sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds would work well in here
-This recipe doesn’t necessarily have to be grain-free either. Swap 1 cup of nuts for ¾ cup rolled oats, if you’d like
-Truly delicious addition: add ½ cup dark chocolate chips to the baking tray AFTER the granola has been removed from the oven. The chocolate chips will slightly melt into the granola as It cools and hardens.
-This recipe is adapted from Bon Appetit’s Grain-Free Tahini Granola recipe