Grain Free Granola + Berry Coconut Chia Parfaits

Gluten and grain free granola made with seeds, coconut, and maple syrup – a healthy, tasty breakfast or snack, served here with creamy coconut milk chia pudding and fresh berries. 

Graham and I are moving to Germany next Monday. Next Monday. I’m freaking out a little bit but hoping for the best while we’re there – neither of us have jobs lined up, and he only knows a few words in German. He can pretty much say “Wo ist mein Hut” which means where’s my hat. Hehe.

It’s exciting, though. Before we move is my sister’s wedding, in a few days, so we’re busy right now tying up loose ends and planning for friends and family to visit. I might post a couple of pictures here once the photos are done.

We’ve been trying to do a lot of camping before we leave, especially since some friends of my grandmother passed through and told us that camping in Germany isn’t really great. Apparently Denmark is all right so we’re hoping to take a trip up there at some point to camp. Canada is so full of beautiful wild spaces and I think that’s something we’re going to miss. Norway’s not far, though, at least by our standards.

This past week we were in Whiteshell provincial park, on the border between Manitoba and Ontario. It’s part of the Canadian shield, with granite cliffs everywhere and piles of lakes. It’s rich in Indigenous history and you can see petroforms there (forms, usually animals, made from rocks arranged in specific patterns). It’s one of my favourite places.

I’ve had this recipe sitting on the back burner for a couple of weeks now (you can see a post about grain free granola on my instagram), and our raspberry bushes are done for the season. Blueberries are still going strong, though, and blackberries if you’ve got them. I think this parfait would be equally delicious with peaches or citrus fruits, though, and you can always use frozen berries.

Here’s the deal with chia pudding made with coconut milk. It’s very creamy. Chia pudding tends to be a little on the slimy side, but making it with full fat coconut milk gets rid of any slime and you get an almost whipped-cream consistency. I highly recommend it (and that you ignore calories and walk a little further instead, ha). If you don’t make your own nut or other plant based milks and rely on store-bought milk, definitely try this version.

I usually make my own milk but have a container of cashew milk in the fridge right now – I made chia pudding with it last night and it was shockingly watery this morning. Homemade nut milk makes excellent pudding but coconut milk is so dreamy, and it’s a good option for people with nut allergies. One of the reasons I chose coconut milk for this recipe was because the granola is nut-free as well.

Chia pudding is my breakfast of choice in the summer because it doesn’t take as long to make or eat as porridge does. It lasts a few days in the fridge, so you have an effortless stretch of breakfasts, and it’s nice to have something cold to eat in the morning. I love that it only needs a handful of ingredients and especially love not having to cook when I’m still half asleep.

Not only is this granola free of nuts, but grains too! No oats required, and I bet you won’t miss them. This recipe is especially useful if you like to top your oatmeal with granola for some extra crunch but don’t want to be overwhelmed by oats. So don’t worry about trying to find gluten-free oats here if you have a wheat allergy or prefer to avoid it. It’s lightly sweetened with some maple syrup but the coconut makes it plenty sweet enough.

You don’t need to layer the pudding and granola in a glass, but it is particularly pretty that way. If you’re having friends over for breakfast it makes a beautiful but easy meal. Everything can be prepared the night before and assembled in the morning, so it’s a good breakfast to go if you’re in a rush or like to bring it with you to eat at work or during your commute. In that case, you could still layer it but use a lidded jar instead.

Let’s connect! If you liked this recipe, make sure to leave a comment below, I love hearing from you! Tag me on instagram @occasionallyeggs and #occasionallyeggs so I can see what you’re making, and stay in touch via facebook, pinterest, and bloglovin.

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Yield: 4 cups granola

Grain Free Granola + Berry Coconut Chia Parfaits

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Gluten and grain free granola made with seeds, coconut, and maple syrup - a healthy, tasty breakfast or snack, served here with creamy coconut milk chia pudding and fresh berries. 

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

Grain Free Granola

• 1 cup sunflower seeds, roughly chopped
• 1 cup pepitas, roughly chopped
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut, optional, reserved

Berry Coconut Chia Parfaits

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder
• 1 cup fresh or frozen berries

Instructions

Grain Free Granola

1. Preheat the oven to 300F/150C and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a baking sheet that has a lip if you have one so that the granola can be spread more easily.
2. In a large bowl, combine the sunflower seeds, pepita seeds, shredded coconut, and salt. In a smaller dish, whisk together the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla. Add the maple syrup mixture to the seed mixture and stir until fully incorporated.
3. Spread the granola onto the prepared pan, getting an even layer if possible. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden. Stir in the reserved 1/2 cup flaked coconut. Let the granola cool completely in the pan, and then store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to a month.

Berry Coconut Chia Parfaits

1. In a jar or a container with a lid, mix all of the chia pudding ingredients (leave out the berries) and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight. Stir before serving.
2. Assemble the parfaits right before serving them. To assemble, layer glasses or jars with a couple of tablespoons of chia pudding, then granola, then a handful of berries. Repeat this until the container you've chosen is full. It doesn't matter what order you do it in, just try to finish with berries to make it pretty.