Grain-free Granola as topping for morning Green Smoothie bowl

Super green smoothie with chards, ginger, turmeric, coconut water and avo and topped it with a delicious granola with coconut, brazil nuts, nibs, lucuma, sunflower seeds, spices and a bit of maple syrup and tahini to hold it all together.

I usually make my granolas grain free (as I find it much easier to digest it) using only seeds, coconut, a little bit of nuts and spices and add a bit of maple syrup or dried apricots or mulberries to sweeten it.

Yes, refined sugar is definitely not the best choice for your health and wellbeing but unless there is a condition where it's better to avoid even sugars coming from fruit and natural sweeteners, it's okay to have a little of these in your diet. Choose wholesome alternatives and use them as you would a condiment, certainly not eating them by the spoonful!

Good choices are coconut sugar that has a low glycemic index which means that it won't cause spikes in blood sugar levels and elevated insulin like refiner sugar does. Maple syrup is another option that comes from the sap of the maple tree that gets boiled down until it riches a syrupy consistency. It still maintains some minerals like manganese, zinc and B2.

Dried fruit like dates can be blended into a paste/syrup and used as a sweetener. They still contain fibre so their sugar and energy release will be slower and have less impact on glucose levels that white sugar.

Molasses is another choice although its consistency is very thick and sticky so only suitable for few things. But it's pretty rich in minerals like calcium, iron, zinc, copper and potassium. Take your pick and experiment away baring in mind to still see these as an extra addition not as a main source of nutrients.

Ingredients for the granola

• 1 cup of coconut chips

• 1 cup of sunflower seeds

• 1/2 cup of brazil nuts

• 1/4 cup of cacao nibs

• 2 tbsp of lucuma powder

• 2 tsp of ground cinnamon

• 1 1/2 tsp of mixed spiced

• 1 tsp of ground anise

• 2 tsp of vanilla powder

• 1/4 cup of dried mulberries or raspberries

• 2 tbsp of tahini

• 1/4 cup of maple syrup

1. Place the coconut chips and Brazil nuts in a food processor and process until broken down to your desired consistency. I personally like bigger pieces of nuts to have extra crunch.

2. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the rest of the dry ingredients. Stir to combine.

3. Add in the maple and tahini and mix by hand or with a spatula until everything is fully coated and starts to stick together.

4. Place on a dehydrator tray without reflex sheet and dehydrate for 5-6 hours or longer if you like your granola to be drier and crunchier.

5. Make your favourite smoothie (take a look at all my recipes here and pick one) and top it with your delicious granola. Enjoy!

You can make this in the oven as well if you don't mind it being raw. You'll then have to cook it for less time depending of the temperature you'll set your oven at.

This is a basic recipe, substitute tahini with any seed or nut butter of your choice, Brazil nuts for any other nuts and seeds, change up spices and add fresh or dried fruit to the mix.

This granola is also great to top ice creams, mousse desserts or chia puddings!