Blueberry Vanilla Almond Granola (Gluten Free Recipe)

Do you have a love for the crunchy, satisfying goodness of granola? I have a recipe for blueberry vanilla almond granola that is a delicious and healthy topping on yogurt, smoothies or eaten by the handfuls for a satisfying snack!

I remember when I was a kid, my mom would buy a variety of cereals at the grocery store to please each member of the family. The lineup usually looked something like this: Lucky Charms, Cocoa Krispies, Shredded Wheat, Honey Nut Cheerios and Kashi.

And then there was usually the Blueberry Morning by Post because my dad is obsessed with all things blue and blueberries.

Fast forward to today, and I can confidently say that I’ve adopted by dad’s love for blueberries in a big way. I love these little blue gems so much that I put them in my smoothies, homemade bread, on my salads and any other way I can work them into my foods.

I have been on a huge granola kick lately and since my gingersnap granola recipe was such a big hit, I thought I would create seasonal granola recipes to keep my (and yours) kitchen stocked year round!

As I was thinking about what flavors to experiment with, I immediately thought of the Blueberry Morning cereal sitting on the shelf in my parent’s pantry and knew I wanted to use this as my inspiration.

As I was writing down the ingredients, I got even more excited because I realized I could incorporate nut butter and quinoa into this recipe which was something on my list to try! And so, I chopped, melted, mixed, tasted, and baked my heart out until out of the oven came the most delicious, fragrant, crunchy granola with flavors of almond, vanilla and cinnamon infused into the air in my kitchen.

The only thing missing was – the blueberries! I had picked up two blueberry options at the store to see which I liked best: dried and freeze-dried. The dried blueberries ended up taking the win due to their chewy texture that complimented the crispiness of the nuts, oats and quinoa.

Friends, this blueberry vanilla almond granola is KILLER! It is nutty, crunchy and slightly sweet – but not too sweet. It is delicious on top of yogurt, a smoothie, or eaten by the handfuls. But my preferred way to indulge in my new favorite granola? With a splash of my homemade almond milk. It makes me do a happy dance.

Before we get to the how-to, let’s first look at the nutritional breakdown of some of the star ingredients in this blueberry vanilla almond granola recipe:

• Blueberries – an antioxidant powerhouse and an excellent source of vitamin C and K, as well as fiber, blueberries are known to protect against cancer, boost your immune system, promote brain health and ward off heart disease.
• Almonds – most popularly known for supporting heart health, almonds are packed with (good for you) monounsaturated fats, fiber, protein, vitamin E and magnesium. Almonds also help promote weight loss by keeping hunger in check, while still satisfying cravings.
• Quinoa – commonly thought of as a superfood, quinoa is considered to be a complete protein, containing all nine amino acids (rare for plant-based protein!) and has twice the amount of fiber as most grains, which promotes healthy digestion.
• Oats – also known to promote heart health, oats are another excellent source of dietary fiber, specifically beta-glucan which is known to help lower bad cholesterol levels. Oats are also an excellent source of manganese, which promotes bone health.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Blueberry Vanilla Almond Granola

This recipe really couldn’t be any easier and is done in 1, 2, 3.

Step 1:

Heat the almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat until the coconut oil is melted and the ingredients are mixed well.

Meanwhile, combine the almonds, oats, shredded coconut, quinoa, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.

Pour the almond butter mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring until the dry ingredients are evenly coated.

Step 2:

Spread the granola mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet in a thin later. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until the granola is slightly golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Mix in the dried blueberries.

Step 3:

Pour a serving of granola into a small bowl and top with a splash of homemade almond milk. Grab a spoon and enjoy! Step 3 is totally optional, but highly recommended.

Blueberry Vanilla Almond Granola (Gluten Free)

★★★★★ 4.5 from 2 reviews

• Author: FitLiving Eats by Carly Paige
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 5-6 1x
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Oven
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Ingredients

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• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups oats, gluten-free
• 2 cups almonds, roughly chopped
• 1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
• 1/2 cup Quinoa, rinsed
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup dried blueberries

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat until the coconut oil is melted. Stir until well combined.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, almonds, shredded coconut, quinoa, cinnamon and salt. Mix to combine.
4. Pour the almond butter mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until the dry ingredients are evenly coated.
5. Spread the mixture into a thin layer onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the granola is slightly golden brown.
6. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
7. Stir in the dried blueberries. Enjoy!

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Keywords: blueberry, vanilla almond granola, granola recipe, snack, gluten-free, gluten-free snack, breakfast

What is your favorite snack to have on hand at all times or granola flavor? Share with me in the comment section below!