So I have an addiction. Seriously, my homemade Rawnola addiction is getting out of hand. I eat this stuff almost daily and can't ge...

So I have an addiction. Seriously, my homemade Rawnola addiction is getting out of hand. I eat this stuff almost daily and can't get enough. Imagine every flavor in granola that you love -- maple, coconut, dried fruit -- multiply that flavor by 5 and that's what you get in a little bowl of this Rawnola.

Packed with unsweetened shredded coconut and sweetened

lightly

with a few pitted dates and a touch of maple syrup, this breakfast or snack is seriously delicious.

I love good granola but it's not something I eat much ever since I went gluten-free -- mostly because its usually made with oats which are frequently contaminated with wheat and gluten. I tend to stay away from any granola I didn't make for myself.





As a kid my dad always kept Harvest Crunch cereal in the house and I really loved it. It was my favorite breakfast for many years. I think I like my Rawnola even more than my original obsession.

My husband and I take a lot of hiking day trips together on weekends. I actually take little bowls of this raw grain-free cereal with me in the car for our road trips as I find this cereal makes a really light, energizing and satisfying snack before a long hike in the woods.

I have been making variations of this cereal for a couple of months now -- sometimes I throw in pear sauce, sometimes hempseeds, sometimes other dried fruit like raisins. I think my favorite flavor is my Basic Rawnola recipe (recipe below this post). The ingredients taste like they were meant to be together. It is also the crunchiest version I have made yet.

I make big batches of my Basic Rawnola, store it in the fridge (where it becomes lovely and crunchy) and snack on it throughout the week. It always puts a smile on my face.Who knew something so simple could be so addictive?





The best thing about these Rawnola recipes is that they are dead simple to make. They whiz together in mere seconds in a food processor.





Just be careful not to blend too long or the coconut will start to release too much oil and turn into butter.

Though these Rawnola cereals can be enjoyed with a little milk (raw, non-dairy or otherwise), I really prefer them dry. When served with milk they quickly loose their crunch (coconut soaks up too much liquid too quickly). That being said they are excellent on top of yogurt (raw, non-dairy or otherwise) and my husband enjoys them mixed into his morning oatmeal and added as a topper on his regular granola. If you must serve these cereals with milk my suggestion is to put the milk in your bowl first and top with the Rawnola so it doesn't get too wet.

I recently developed the second recipe I am sharing with you today -- Beet Rawnola . This variation sneaks in a whole cup of shredded raw beet and becomes irresistibly pink when combined with the shredded coconut. I think it is a great recipe to get your kids to eat their vegetables and it is loaded with superfoods like chia seeds which make it crunchy and delicious. I love how black chia seeds look like poppy seeds in this recipe.





I just love the color of the Beet Rawnola, and the flavor is just as delightful. Last night I made enough to last the whole week (yay). My husband has been enjoying it too, both on its own and mixed into his own homemade batch of oat granola (he is a homemade granola king). When added to his oat granola my Beet Rawnola turns his milk pink!

I recently made a small batch of the Beet Rawnola and transformed it into Beet Rawnola Bars with a creamy coconut butter-vanilla glaze. Look how pretty they are!

I will share the recipe for these bars next week so be sure to visit Baking Backwards in a few days to snag the recipe.





For now, happy munching!

Basic Rawnola

(vegan, gluten-free, paleo, refined-sugar-free)



Makes 2 servings 1 cup finely shredded coconut (full fat)

⅓ cup reduced fat shredded coconut 4-6 small pitted dates (about 30-40g)

2 tsp maple syrup

½-1 tsp coconut oil

pinch pink salt

1 tsp cinnamon

3 or more tbsp black chia seeds

1/2 tsp raw honey or coconut nectar or agave (optional) Add all ingredients to food processor and blend until a lightly golden and crumbly mixture forms. Store in fridge, covered, if storing for later. Serve dry or with yogurt like a parfait. Or serve as an addition to oatmeal or ordinary granola cereal. I do not recommend adding milk to this unless you have mixed it with another more traditional cereal as it may get too soggy.