Nut-Free Cacao Granola

I am allergic to nuts. 

It sucks.

Being vegan was really hard because it seems a lot of people (especially restaurants) associate nuts as the protein alternative to soy. So unless something was soy based, it was often nut based (veggie burgers held together with almonds, cashew cheeses, etc.) Once, I ate a gluten free vegan cookie just to find out, as I was chewing, that the gluten free flour was made up of ground almonds and walnuts. Oops. 

Something I have always had trouble finding was a nut-free granola. When we lived in Olympia, I did find a delicious local granola by Blue Heron Bakery that was not only nut-free and vegan, but didn't have any added sugar. 

A few months ago, I started experimenting with making my own granola. It's taken a few tries to get it right (chia seeds go a long way, that's all I'm saying), but what follows is pretty darn good. The secret? Coarsely ground cacao nibs, which gives it that slightly raw chocolate taste. I seriously can't even justify buying granola anymore. 

Nut-Free Cacao Granola

2 cups rolled oats

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/2 cup hulled sunflower seeds

2 tbsp cacao nibs, coarsely ground

2-3 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp brown sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 275. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and stir. Stir in your honey or choice of syrup, making sure everything is coated. Sprinkle on brown sugar for added sweetness, if you prefer. 

Spread in an even layer on the cookie sheet and bake for 45 minutes. Every oven is different, so taking a peak after 30 minutes probably wouldn't hurt. 

Once the granola is baked and slightly crunchy, let it completely cool on the counter before scooping it off the parchment paper. You can play around with the ingredients, adding dried fruit or coconut flakes, or, if you insist, nuts, but I think the sunflower seeds give this granola a crunchy, deliciously nut-free consistency.