Wheat Free Vegan Coconut Cashew Granola

Is anyone else but me absolutely in shock over how high the price of granola is?? ESPECIALLY gluten free granola. Nearly 7$ for 6 little servings!!

This became a perfect excuse to make my own. (Now, Bobs Red Mill makes wheat free rolled oats. So its not necessarily 100% gluten free but some people with gluten intolerances aren't affected by uncontaminated oats.) My idea came from this recipe for Tropical Granola.

I played around with the portions and ingredients so much, it really doesnt look much like the original at all. But I, in all my sincere embarrassed glory, couldnt wait to have a bowl until morning and I had it for dinner last night when I made it.

Wheat Free Vegan Coconut Cashew Granola





2 cups wheat free rolled oats (bobs red mill)
2 cups puffed brown rice cereal
1/2 cup chopped cashews
3 tbsp. sunflower seeds
2 tbsp. whole flax seeds
6 tbsp. maple sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tbsp. agave nectar
2 tbsp. coconut butter, melted
1 tbsp. original almond milk
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup diced dried apricot, preferably unsweetened & unsulfured
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

There were also a few changes to the instructions as well but other than the following, they remained the same.

1. I added the nuts with the oats.
2. For the coconut butter, melt in the microwave with the almond milk and mix with agave/applesauce mixture.
3. Add dried fruit the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.

Makes 4 3/4 cups.
Each 1/2 cup serving is 205 calories.



*NOTE: In the future I would probably sub out 1 tsp. of the coconut butter for an extra 2/3 cup or so of puffed rice just to make it an even 5 cups, therefore yielding exactly 10 servings at 195 calories each.

Coconut milk and TWO Bowls of Oatmeal

Ive been hearing about coconut milk for a while around the vegan blog-o-sphere but never really paid much attention to it. Ive never been keen on macaroons so I basically wrote off coconut altogether.

Well, a while back I somehow acquired a can of light coconut milk and its been hiding in my cupboard for almost a year now. Yesterday I figured it was time to do something with it. After all, I didnt want it sitting there forever.

I went on a search (a Google search haha), looking for flavour combinations including coconut. I found a few that sparked my interest: pineapple coconut, strawberry coconut and almonds, chocolate cherry and coconut, and then... banana chocolate coconut. The light went on and I had my combination and I knew exactly how I was going to incorporate these flavours- in oatmeal!

For those of you who dont know, Im a BIG oatmeal fan. To be honest, I only started really eating it about two months ago. My mom visited and during her stay we ate at a breakfast buffet in the Hilton that had real oatmeal. And I fell in love. No more quick oats, no more quaker oatmeal packets to stick in the microwave but real old fashioned rolled oats. Delicious.



Banana Chocolate Coconut Oats

1/3 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup water
1/3 banana, mashed
1/4 cup lite coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
sweetener, cinnamon, and salt to taste (optional)
13 pieces Annies chocolate bunny grahams
1/2 tsp unsweetened shredded coconut

Add oatmeal, banana, and water to a pot and bring to a boil.
Once boiling turn down heat and add vanilla and optional ingredients.
Once oatmeal is just about done, add coconut milk and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 or so minutes.
Spoon into a bowl and top with grahams and coconut.


Im not done yet though. This morning I was at it again with yet another new combination. This one was even better than the first.



Mango Coconut Oats with Pistachio

1/3 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup diced mango
1 1/2 tbsp lite coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
stevia, cinnamon, and salt to taste (optional)
1 tbsp. pistachios, toasted

Add oats and water to the pot and bring to a boil. Turn down heat to medium.
Add vanilla and optional ingredients.
Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and then add coconut milk and mango.
Cook a bit longer until desired consistency and then serve with toasted pistachios!