If you love morning cereals, this homemade lectin-free granola recipe is a much healthier alternative that is also super delicious and full of nutrients.
Made with wholesome, healthy ingredients, this crunchy granola is also gluten-free, sugar-free, and vegan. It pairs perfectly with plant-based milk or yogurt, and it’s a great base for other delicious sugar-free desserts.
Why we love this lectin-free granola recipe
- It’s lectin-free and gluten-free, which means this granola is not made with oats and is also not extremely heavy in nuts. The bulk and the clusters are provided by the green plantain, which is a resistant starch that works so perfectly well for granola.
- It’s sugar-free, so it doesn’t have any sugar added. We use just 4 dry figs for the entire quantity (10 servings), which is a very small amount of natural sugar and fiber. The sweetness of this granola comes from the coconut and nuts. And if you want more sweetness, you can always drizzle some Yacon syrup, local raw honey, allulose, or your favorite low-glycemic sweetener. We think it is perfect the way it is.
- It’s full of nutrients: fiber, healthy fats, and protein from the nut mix, the coconut, and hemp seeds.
- It’s easy to make and easy to store. You need a food processor and an oven, and you can store this granola for months in the freezer. Due to the high amount of fats, this lectin-free granola will not freeze, so you can eat it straight from the freezer if you like it cold (my favorite way!)
- You can personalize it. Use your favorite mix of nuts and add extra flavors you like. I love to add some dark chocolate or cacao nibs after making it.
- It’s the perfect breakfast or snack when you don’t have time to cook. I love to serve it with homemade plant-based milk like hemp milk, tigernut milk, or almond milk.
Why green plantains?
Plantains, such as bananas, can be consumed at any stage of their ripeness. Green plantains are unripe plantains and have a green peel, while sweet plantains are ripe and have yellow skin and sometimes brown spots when they become overripe.
There is an important nutritional difference between the two. While green plantains are mainly a resistant starch, with a small amount of sugar, sweet plantains become simple starch, so they will have a higher glycemic index.
That is the reason I love using green plantains in my recipes.
Ingredients to make this crunchy lectin-free granola
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (divided)
- 1 green plantain, peeled and sliced
- 4 dry figs, chopped
- 3 tablespoons coconut butter
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 4 tablespoons hemp hearts
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- Optional: unsweetened cacao nibs or chopped dark chocolate (to be added after cooking). You could also add different nuts and slivered almonds or almond flakes.
While this is the combination of ingredients I like, sometimes I add more nuts (like pistachios, macadamia, hazelnuts or blanched almonds). If you use almond flakes, only add them in the last 10 minutes of cooking; otherwise, they’ll get burnt.
If you love chocolate, cacao nibs or chopped dark chocolate can be a great addition, but only add it after baking (mix it in when the granola is still warm).
How to make and store sugar-free crunchy granola with green plantain
- Preheat the oven to 300F.
- In a food processor, pulse the nuts and 1/2 cup of coconut flakes until they break down but are not completely ground. You want some texture, with the nuts having different sizes. Add the mixture to a large mixing bowl.
- In the same food processor, add the sliced banana, coconut butter and oil, and chopped figs. Pulse until mixed. Add this mixture to the bowl of nuts.
- Add the hemp hearts, vanilla, salt, and 1 cup of the reserved coconut flakes. Mix well with a spoon.
- Transfer the mixture to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally and keeping an eye on it at the end to ensure the coconut flakes do not burn.
- Take the baking sheet out of the oven, add the cacao nibs or chocolate of using, toss well, and let it cool.
- Store in a glass jar in the fridge for about a week, or freeze immediately and eat straight from the freezer.
- Serve with cold plant milk or yogurt of your choice.
Lectin-free granola for breakfast, as a sweet treat, or as a snack
Although a breakfast food in general, I love to have this lectin-free granola as a sweet treat or as a snack. I sometimes use it to make a delicious and healthy summer treat, like this Yogurt and Granola Parfait.
You can also use this recipe to make lectin-free granola bars.
Add different flavors and make a Pumpkin Pie Spice Granola.
Check out our Ultimate Lectin-Free Breakfast Guide, Recipe Round-Up, for more lectin-free breakfast recipes.
*This post contains affiliated links, which means I get a small commission if you choose to purchase something via one of my links, at no extra cost to you
Lectin-Free Granola with Green Plantain (Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free)
If you love morning cereals, this homemade lectin-free granola recipe is a much healthier alternative that is also super delicious and full of nutrients. Made with wholesome, healthy ingredients, this crunchy granola is also gluten-free, sugar-free, and vegan. It pairs perfectly with plant-based milk or yogurt, and it's a great base for other delicious sugar-free desserts.
Ingredients
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (divided)
- 1 green plantain, peeled and sliced
- 4 dry figs, chopped
- 3 tablespoons coconut butter
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 4 tablespoons hemp hearts
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- Optional: unsweetened cacao nibs or chopped dark chocolate (to be added after cooking). You could also add different nuts and slivered almonds or almond flakes.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300F.
In a food processor, pulse the nuts and 1/2 cup coconut flakes, until they break down but they are not completely ground. You want some texture, with the nuts having different sizes. Add the mixture to a large mixing bowl.
In the same food processor, add the sliced banana, coconut butter and oil, and chopped figs. Pulse until mixed. Add this mixture to the bowl of nuts.
Add the hemp hearts, vanilla, salt, and the 1 cup of coconut flakes left. Mix well with a spoon.
Transfer the mixture to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
Bake for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally and keeping an eye on it at the end to make sure the coconut flakes do not burn.
Take the baking sheet out of the oven, add the cacao nibs or chocolate of using, toss well and let it cool.
Store in a glass jar in the fridge for about a week or freeze immediately and eat straight from the freezer.
Serve with cold plant milk or yogurt of your choice.
23 Comments
Ludmila Usatii
February 4, 2024 at 11:16 amHi Claudia, I’m in love with all your receipes. I made this green plaintain granola. I respected the ingredients and just added cranberries, caco and chopped dark chocolate you suggest and it is so so delicious and healthy and lectin-free. I will repeat it for sure! Thank you!
Claudia
February 5, 2024 at 3:20 amHi Ludmila! So happy you loved it! -Claudia
Julia
August 26, 2023 at 4:34 pmI substituted dates for the figs since I didn’t have any figs…it turned out super sweet so I’ll be cutting back on the dates! I’m going to enjoy eating up my mistake.
Claudia
August 27, 2023 at 5:30 amHehe, enjoy!!! -Claudia
Dean Romanelli
December 14, 2022 at 1:09 pmHi,
I definitely wouldn’t call this sugar free. 4 figs have about 32 grams of sugar, plus about 3 grams from the unripe plantain, and probably about 2-3 grams of trace sugars from the rest of the ingredients. I think I’ll make this without the figs and substitute Lakanto Monk Fruit Maple Syrup instead.
Claudia
December 15, 2022 at 7:46 amHi Dean, I can see your point in a way, but honestly, if we go the rabbit hole and count every single gram of sugar, nothing is really sugar-free. All carbohydrates are sugars. Even excess protein gets converted into sugar. If you want to understand better what this website offers and how I managed to give up sugar almost 6 years ago, and how I think those who want to make this lifestyle sustainable can navigate a world where sugar is certainly everywhere, check out my article: “How I Quit Sugar 5 Year Ago. And I Still Eat the Cake.” The internet is a funny place. As recipe creators, SEO matters, and we have to explain in a headline, in a few words, why this recipe is different than others. Considering all granola on the market and all the homemade recipes are ladden with sugar, we want to target the people who are searching for recipes that have no sugar. Legally, sugar has more than 50 names that food producers can use to confuse people. None of those are in this recipe. And in none of my recipes. I hope you enjoy this recipe. Lakanto syrup tends to burn quicky, so maybe be careful with the timing. I would only add it at then end. Also, unsweetened dry fruits like dates and figs come with a lot of fiber. Just recently I saw someone with a continue glucose monitor did a test. He ate 3 dates, and his blood sugar was stable afterwards. Not that I would recommend anyone to eat 3 plain dates in one go, but saying this to show that there are so many nuances regarding the sugar topic.
Dean Romanelli
December 15, 2022 at 2:33 pmFair point, thanks Claudia. I’m all too familiar with SEO, being a Computer Science Engineer. I get it.
Let me ask you this – What if I replaced the Lakanto with a little bit of honey instead? Like 1 TBSP for the whole recipe. I know it’s considered so-so on the compliance list, but if this makes about 3 servings or more, than we’d still be getting a tsp or less a day of the honey, which is compliant.
Also, what if you did this recipe without cooking. Are the fats from the nuts not enough?
Claudia
December 16, 2022 at 3:50 amHi Dean, you can use honey, but I would not heat it. Just add it at the end after you take the tray out of the oven.
Dean Romanelli
December 22, 2022 at 11:54 amThis is delicious. I made 340g and I eat 57g per serving. I did olive oil instead of coconut oil or butter. I also didn’t use the figs or the plantain and instead put dark chocolate nibs in. The pecans with olive oil is amazing. Thanks so much.
Claudia
December 23, 2022 at 6:39 amThank you Dean! Glad you liked it and thank you for sharing your modifications. I like the idea of olive oil.
Ann Mitman
December 27, 2020 at 1:41 pmI just tried this today. I had to substitute a few things but i fell it came out a little dry. I liked it better before i put it in the oven for 40 minutes. I didnt have coconut butter so i made my own with the cream in coconut cream and coconut flour, I substituted cranberries for dates, macadamia nuts for pecans, and i used plantain chips so i did have to make my own and didn’t add salt. Would these substitutes change the recipe that much? The flavor is good but over toasted. I am definitely trying it again but these are the ingredients i have. Suggestions?
Claudia
December 27, 2020 at 2:11 pmHi Ann, everything should work fine, except for the plantain chips. Try with the plain plantain next time, that’s the main ingredient and the secret of this lectin-free granola :). If you don’t find a green plantain, try with green banana. Not 100% the same, but will work better than chips. xx
Greta
March 25, 2020 at 3:26 pmDelicious! I don’t own a food processor so I just chopped up everything as finely as I could and it worked great. I also subbed a drizzle of honey instead of figs since I didn’t have any. Hit the spot!
Claudia
April 1, 2020 at 10:01 amHi Greta, thank you so much. Good to know it works even without a food processor. xx