Looking for an easy granola recipe that's not loaded with sugar but also boosts protein? Look no further than this vanilla granola recipe! It takes just minutes to mix together, and it's a high-protein granola that's packed with lots of anti-inflammatory ingredients and just a touch of sweetness!
Recipe: $17.35 | Per Serving: $1.08 | Yield: 8.5 cups (17 servings)
Granola is one of my favorite sweet breakfasts. I'm typically a savory girl through and through, but granola paired with tart berries and tangy yogurt is always a winner. I started making my own granola years ago since it is much much cheaper than store bought, and tastes way better!
Today's granola recipe is also higher in protein and lower in sugar than any granola you'll find on the market. That's because we're using just a scant ¼ cup of sweetener (trust me, that's all you need), and bulking up the high-protein nuts and seeds.
With just a little yogurt or milk, or even on its own, this homemade granola can be breakfast, dessert, or a mid-day snack!
You might also try making this my original homemade granola recipe or these crunchy granola bar recipe to replace store-bought bars!
High Protein Granola
Did you know that hemp seeds and pumpkin seeds actually have more protein than almonds?
While almonds are higher in protein by weight than other tree nuts, hemp and pumpkin seeds each have about 50% more protein than almonds. That’s why we’re using all three of these protein-packed options in this granola recipe.
In the US we often eat granola with yogurt, which can provide up to 10 ounces of protein per cup of yogurt. However, I wanted a recipe for my clients that was high enough in protein that you didn’t need to rely on dairy for protein.
I wanted one that you could eat with dairy-free yogurt or dairy-free milk, most of which provide very little protein compared to dairy products.
So, this high-protein granola was born!
Jump to:
Why You Will Love This Gluten-Free Granola
- A healthy alternative for granola! It's high in protein, gives a healthy dose of anti-inflammatory ingredients, and low in sugar!
- Easy to make! An entire batch of this vanilla pumpkin seed granola takes just 5 minutes of active time.
- Makes a big batch of hemp seed granola! You get 17 servings per batch and it will last for a few weeks when properly stored.
- It smells amazing! If you think homemade cookies make a house smell good - just wait until you whip up this granola!
- Perfect to serve for snacks, breakfast, or added to ice cream or stewed fruit for dessert.
Ingredients in Anti-Inflammatory Granola
Making a high-protein granola requires some high-protein nuts and seeds, along with a few additional anti-inflammatory ingredients. Here's an overview, but be sure to check the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and instructions.
- Raw nuts: Since these will be toasted in the oven, it is best to choose raw nuts that haven't been roasted. You need almonds, walnuts, and Brazil nuts.
- Pumpkin seeds: If you can find sprouted seeds they are more nutrient dense and easier to digest! But if not, the regular raw pumpkin seeds (as shown above) work as well.
- Other seeds: This anti-inflammatory granola also includes sunflower seeds, hemp hearts, and ground flax.
- Rolled oats: Choose gluten-free if you want to make this recipe gluten free!
- Oil: I tested this recipe with coconut oil and olive oil and both were delicious so you can use either one. However, if you want the best anti-inflammatory benefits, you'll probably want to choose olive oil. You can also use butter or ghee for more flavor.
- Vanilla extract: Make sure you are using real vanilla and not an imitation extract.
Why Brazil Nuts?
In my clinical nutrition practice, I work with many individuals with Hashimoto’s and other thyroid conditions. Selenium is an important nutrient for thyroid health, and Brazil nuts are a rich source of this mineral.
You can also get selenium from animal products, but aside from Brazil nuts, it is only available in small amounts from most foods. This granola recipe is a great way to boost your selenium intake!
I’ve included weight measurements for the Brazil nuts since they vary in size. You can get selenium overload and toxicity from eating too many Brazil nuts. The standard safe recommendation is about 2 large Brazil nuts daily.
One 5-gram (0.17 oz) Brazil nut contains about 96 micrograms of selenium. The recommended intake for adults with thyroid conditions is about 200 mcg, and the upper limit (maximum recommended intake) for adults is 400 mcg.
⭐️ This recipe contains about 50 mcg of selenium from Brazil nuts per ½-cup. A very safe dose!
Dietary Modifications
- Paleo: nope! This recipe contains oats, which are not Paleo. You can omit the oats entirely and increase the nuts and seeds to make a Paleo granola.
- Vegetarian: Yep! It is!
- Low FODMAP: this recipe, in ⅓-cup portions, is likely to be well tolerated by those following a Low FODMAP diet. There's a lot of variability with how nuts and seeds are tolerated, so you'll have to test it out on your own!
How to Make High-Protein Vanilla Granola
Making this olive oil granola at home is super simple! Here are the main steps involved in making it.
- Pulse the whole almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and Brazil nuts in your food processor until they’re roughly the same size. Depending on the size of your processor you may need to do this in batches.
PRO TIP: To save time, buy sliced nuts or pieces of nuts and measure by weight instead of cups.
- Measure out all the remaining dry ingredients, including the spices.
- Warm the honey and oil in a saucepan over low heat until well combined. Remove from heat and add the vanilla extract.
- Combine the crushed nuts with the hemp hearts, ground flax, rolled oats, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir well to combine.
- Pour the granola out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread it into an even layer.
- Bake the granola at 230ºF/110ºC for 75-90 minutes or until it develops a golden brown color.
PRO TIP: I recommend checking it every 30-45 minutes to make sure there’s no burning.
- Turn off the oven and let cool in the oven for about 30-60 more minutes. This is how you get the most crunch! While this isn’t a super cluster-heavy granola, you will get the most clusters if you leave it in the oven as the oven cools down.
Expert Tips
- Store in an airtight jar or container in a cool, dark place such as a cabinet or pantry. It will stay fresh for up to two weeks.
- Serve up high-protein granola as a snack on its own or add it to yogurt and fresh fruit for a healthy, satisfying snack.
- Watch the granola as it cooks. I occasionally check the oven temp to make sure it's stable and not increasing. It's always good to take a peek at the granola occasionally to make sure it doesn't burn.
FAQs
Not always but to make this recipe an anti-inflammatory granola, we’re making sure it is low in sugar while packing it with anti-inflammatory ingredients. First,
extra virgin olive oil provides anti-inflammatory polyphenols and since we're cooking at such a low heat, these stay intact.
Next, we add walnuts, hemp seeds, and ground flax which are all great sources of the omega-3 precursor ALA. Then, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of cloves contribute a nice, balanced flavor and more anti-inflammatory compounds! Brazil nuts provide selenium which functions as an antioxidant in the body!
Last, pumpkin and sunflower seeds have been shown to support methylation processes in the body, which helps to prevent diseases associated with aging.
The amount will vary by brand. This granola recipe provides 10 g of protein per half cup of granola, with just 5 grams of sugar. You can boost the protein in your breakfast by pairing this with a high-protein yogurt such as Greek yogurt, using a protein-rich milk like cow's milk or soy milk, or by just adding more hemp seeds!
More Healthy Breakfast Recipes
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High Protein Vanilla Granola
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole raw almonds about 5 ounces
- 1 cup raw sunflower seeds about 5 ounces
- ¾ cup raw pumpkin seeds about 3.75 ounces (see notes)
- ½ cup whole raw walnuts about 1.7 ounces
- 1 ½ ounces Brazil nuts about ⅓ cup small-medium sized
- ¾ cup hulled hemp hearts / hemp seeds about 3.7 ounces
- ¼ cup ground flax about 1 ounce
- 2 cups GF rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves optional
- 6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil, You can also use butter or ghee. (see notes)
- ¼ cup raw honey
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract not imitation
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 230ºF/110ºC.
- In batches, pulse the whole raw nuts and seeds - almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, brazil nuts - (all except for the hemp seeds) in your food processor until they’re roughly the same size. (Alternatively, you can buy sliced nuts or pieces of nuts and just measure by weight instead of cup.) I did these in a few separate batches.
- Add the crushed nuts to a large bowl with the other dry ingredients - hemp hearts, ground flax, rolled oats, salt, and spices. Stir to combine.
- In a small pot (or glass bowl in the microwave), warm the honey and oil over low heat until well combined. Remove from heat and add the vanilla extract.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir well to combine.
- Pour the granola onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread it out into an even layer.
- Bake on 230ºF/110ºC for 75-90 minutes or until it develops a golden brown color. I recommend just checking it every 30-45 minutes to make sure there’s no burning.
- Turn off the oven and let cool in the oven for about 30-60 more minutes. This is how you get the most crunch! While this isn’t a super cluster-heavy granola, you will get the most clusters if you leave it in the oven as the oven cools down.
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