Gluten Free Granola

Homemade granola makes a great gift

Weeks ago, I saw a recipe for homemade granola bars that used buckwheat groats. I was intrigued. If you follow a gluten-free diet, buckwheat is completely allowed! Buckwheat groats look like a grain, but it is actually a fruit seed – related to sorrel and rhubarb. Who knew? I found buckwheat groats in one of the bulk bins at Earth Fare and came home eager to put them in something yummy.

One of my favorite local foods this time of year is pecans. I love to snack on them and, of course, put them in pie. Today, we decided to make homemade granola and use some of our delicious, local pecans from the Greene Family Farm and our new ingredient: buckwheat groats.

If you have looked for GF granola before, you are probably used to finding most of the store-bought granolas contaminated by some type of wheat product. After you make this easy granola, I promise you that you will stop searching the aisles for a gluten-free option – this is better than anything I have ever tasted and it is really simple to make. When I saw a recipe for maple-pecan granola in the Charlotte Observer Food Section, I knew it looked good and I only wanted to make a few changes! I added in the buckwheat groats, more pecans, and less brown sugar – it’s pretty simple to begin with so you can change it up pretty easily. Enjoy!

Fresh Pecans from Greene Family Farm

Ingredients: 

3 cups of old fashioned oats
1 cup buckwheat groats
1 1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1/3 cup of real maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter, chopped
bit of salt

Directions: 

1. Combine oats, groats, and pecans. Set aside.

2. Combine syrup, brown sugar, salt, and pieces of butter in a pyrex measuring glass. Microwave on high for about a minute. Stir to make sure that all the butter is melted.

3. Pour the warm syrup over the oats, groats, and pecans. Stir to mix well.

4. Spread the granola in an even layer on a cookie pan. Cook for 15 minutes at 325 degrees. Stir. Cook for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool.

The kids asked to add dried cranberries to the next batch and our sitter requested coconut. We will keep you posted! What are you going to add to yours?