This crunchy Protein Granola gets a major dose of protein & fiber from a secret ingredient – lentils! This gluten-free & vegan granola is a delicious and filling breakfast or snack.
It’s been a while since I posted a granola recipe around here. A couple months, at least, which is a while for me – I pretty much live off granola for breakfast, and my hearty archive of granola recipes definitely reflects that food habit.
This granola is similar to some of my other favorite granola recipes, starring rolled oats, flaked coconut, and pecans, but it has a couple extra ingredients that totally amp up the nutrition and especially the protein. Almonds are the nut of choice here, seeing as they totally kick butt in the protein department, and chia seeds also help amp up the protein count.
You’re going to want to cook the lentils (which is super easy) before they’re added to the granola, and when they get coated with the wet ingredients and baked with the rest of the granola, they turn into these sweet, puffy, crispy little bites.
I used red lentils in this recipe (mostly because they’re more mild in flavor than green lentils) and I can’t get over what nutritional powerhouses they are – they’re packed with fiber, protein, and minerals, and they’re low in fat. Nothing to complain about there.
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Snapchat
Remember to #bakerita if you try the recipe!
Protein Granola (Gluten Free + Vegan)- 2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
- 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- ½ cup pecans, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups cooked red lentils (from ¾ cup dry red lentils)*
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
- In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, coconut, pecans, almonds, chia seeds, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cooked red lentils, maple syrup, coconut sugar, and coconut oil and stir until the dry ingredients are all moistened. Spread the granola in an even layer on a large parchment-lined baking sheet and press down gently with the back of a spatula to form a thin even layer.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through and stirring it gently to ensure the granola bakes evenly. When it is browned and feels dry to the touch, remove from the oven. If want big chunks of granola, let the granola cool completely before disturbing so it clusters together.
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
There's more where that came from!
Chai Spice Granola Chocolate Coconut Paleo Granola (GF + Vegan) Greek Yogurt Cheesecakes with Granola Crust (Gluten Free +… Paleo Granola Almond Coconut Butter Granola Coconut Macadamia Nut Granola (GF, Vegan + Refined SF)