Confession: I ate the entire recipe of this gluten-free, sugar-free, low carb quick vegan protein granola in just one day. And yes, it’s that crunchy and addictive!
Ever looked at the ingredients and nutrition facts behind the boxes of “healthy” granola boxes? Then realizing hey, turns out it’s not so good after all.
Now, you may ask, well, is this granola recipe really that easy, healthy, AND delicious plus crunchy?
100% yes! Let me break it down for you.
What is granola?
Granola is a popular breakfast and snack food known for its crunchy texture and nutty, slightly sweet flavour. It is typically made from a mixture of rolled oats, nuts (such as almonds, walnuts, or pecans), dried fruits (like raisins, cranberries, or apricots), and sometimes seeds (such as sunflower or pumpkin seeds). The ingredients are often combined with a sweetener, such as honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar, and sometimes mixed with spices like cinnamon or vanilla for added flavour.
Why you should make this vegan protein granola recipe:
- high protein
- sugar-free
- vegan
- gluten-free
- nut free option
- low-fat option
- full of omega 3 and 6
- good for your gut (if not shoved in your mouth)
- make it high or low-calorie with simple modifications
- easily customizable
- crunchy
- delicious
- quick and easy to make
- do you still want more?
Now, let’s get into the details, shall we?
Ingredients & Substitutions
Old-fashioned Oats – the main ingredient. Feel free to use gluten-free rolled oats, my favourite brand of it is just down below. I recommend using old-fashioned / rolled oats because they give more texture and crunchiness, but if you really don’t have them, quick oats are fine too. However, they might soak up more water
Vanilla vegan protein powder – I use this one and I love it. Make sure to use vegan protein powders, like pea protein. The protein powder also adds the majority of sweetness to the granola, but if you have a sweet tooth, feel free to add more sweetener. The flavour of protein powder is up to you too, I just like vanilla.
Spices – I just put ground cinnamon on the recipe card because 1. look at this website’s name, and 2. I don’t want to stress you out with the amount of spices I like to put in my granola. Besides cinnamon, I like to add ground cardamom, cumin, and ginger, but at the end of the day it’s all up to you
Nut/Seed of your choice – optional, to add more crunch and nutrition. Some nuts and seeds I like to add are slivered almonds, chopped walnuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds
Flaxseed, and chia seed – for the vegan egg. If you don’t have flaxseed, use 2 tablespoons of chia seed, and vice versa. The purpose of these ingredients is to hold the granola together.
water – warm water, cold water, ice water, I don’t care, but it has to be clean water. Don’t use milk, it will soften the granola, making it chewy instead of crunchy. If you don’t have water, you should contact your landlord or water management center NOW.
Optional Ingredients – cocoa powder, raisins, more nuts or seeds, coconut flakes, dried berries, the possibilities are endless. Add whatever you want!
Tips for the perfect vegan protein granola
- For better digestion and to keep the granola from falling apart, wait for 15 minutes before adding the vegan egg to the mixed dry ingredients.
- If you have to add extra water, add a little bit at a time. The dough should be somewhat crumbly
- Every type of protein powder is different, so make sure to adjust accordingly!
Q&A
Why is my granola soggy and not crunchy?
There are 3 reasons that cause a sad, non-crunchy granola:
- Too much-wet ingredients
- low baking temperature and not enough baking time
- the container you put the granola in is not airtight, letting air get in
How do I fix a chewy and soggy granola?
Good news – you can re-crisp your homemade granola! To do this, spread the granola evenly apart on a baking sheet and bake at around 200c /395f for 5-15 minutes, until it becomes crispy again. The cooking time depends on your oven, the granola’s condition and size.
How can I make my homemade granola low-calorie?
Since this high protein sugar-free granola recipe is easily customizable, you might feel lost how to adjust the ingredients to your desires. In order to make this recipe even more low-calorie, here are some tips:
- use a low-calorie protein powder
- cut back some toppings (for example, nuts, seeds, chocolate chips and raisins)
What can I eat my granola with?
Here are some suggestions to serve your vegan protein granola with:
- yogurt
- milk as cereal
- sprinkle some on the protein layered pumpkin yogurt parfait with crust
- sprinkle on your oatmeal
- and so much more!
Homemade Vegan Protein Granola Recipe
Homemade Vegan Protein Granola Recipe (Sugar free, Gluten free)
Ingredients
Flax and Chia egg
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 1 tablespoon chia seed
- 1/2 cup water
Dry Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Rolled Oats (gluten free optional)
- 1/2 cup Vanilla Protein Powder (Vegan)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2-4 tablespoons nut/seed of your choice (scroll up for more suggestions!)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190c / 375f
- Combine all the flaxseed, chia seed, and water in a small bowl together then set aside. This is your u0022vegan eggu0022
- In a medium-large bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and mix well
- pour in the u0022vegan eggu0022 and mix well. You should form a wet crumbly dough. Break up into small chunks, depending how chunky you want the granola to be. If the dough doesn’t have enough moisture, add more water, 1 tbsp at a time.
- Spread the granola evenly onto a baking pan with parchment paper and bake for 15-22 minutes, until crunchy and golden brown
- Let cool and store in an for up to 10 days