Grain Free Maple Cinnamon Granola

When you're ready to hit the trails but need a snack that will pack the energy and curb your appetite, without gluten, grains and crazy additives, sneak this granola into your backpack. This granola is also the perfect addition to many other recipes!

All photography by August Nyson. See all her beautiful work here

Recipe originally printed in the June '18 edition of Women's Lifestyle Magazine Kalamazoo. Check it out here

Makes about 8 cups of granola

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Ground flax seed

5 Tbsp cool water

2 Cups Pecans

1 ½ Cups slivered almonds

½ Cup Walnut halves

½ Cup Cashews, chopped

1 Cup Coconut shreds

½ Cup Hemp seeds

¼ Cup chia seeds

1 Cup Sunflower seeds

1 Cup raw Pumpkin seeds

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp coconut sugar

½ Cup maple syrup

Instructions:

1.) Preheat oven to 325 degrees

2.) Coat a 9x13 baking pan lightly with nonstick oil and set aside

3.) In a small bowl, whisk together ground flax seed and cool water. Set aside to gel.

4.) In a large mixing bowl, combine all nuts, coconut and seeds.

5.) In a small bowl, combine salt, cinnamon, coconut sugar and maple syrup. Add in flax egg mixture and stir together well.

6.) Pour this mixture over dry ingredients and mix to thoroughly coat granola.

7.) Transfer mixture into baking pan and spread out evenly.

8.) Place in oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and gently stir in pan. Place back in oven for 10 minutes or more until granola is golden brown.

9.) Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before breaking up and storing. This will keep granola formed into clusters.