Using your slow cooker in warmer months might seem a bit unnatural at first, until you realize that you can make all sorts of things that aren’t heavy stews, soups and roasts—this Slow Cooker Coconut Quinoa Granola is a perfect example. Slow cooker granola is so easy—and a LOT less expensive than store-bought granola, too.
At my house, we like having granola around to sprinkle on our yogurt in the summer, or just to eat for a quick and tasty morning meal. At other times of the year I’m not much of a cereal person. However, once the temps finally start to climb here in Maine, so does the appeal of a simple bowl of granola (at least to me).
One of the best things about homemade granola is that it’s so flexible. Generally I stick with the two cups of old fashioned oats, but other than that I tend to mix it up based on what I have on hand. I even use other cereals like Cherries or corn bran (I often crush them a bit just so all the ingredients are about the same size). Feel free to swap in other grains or cereals to suit your taste, I used up some odds and ends in this batch—millet, the quinoa (mine was tri-color quinoa), and even some nuts and seeds mixture that had been hiding in the back of the fridge.
The dried fruit is a must-do for granola in my opinion. For this Slow Cooker Coconut Quinoa Granola I chopped some dried peaches that I had around, but raisins, cherries, currants, apricots or any dried fruit you like will work just fine. As for the spices, I often use cinnamon, but this time I went with allspice because I thought it would be good with the peaches and coconut (and it is). Ginger, cardamom, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg—they are all good choices for granola. Sweeteners can be swapped as well; consider maple syrup or agave syrup instead of honey.
Enjoy using up what you have around and being creative with your granola—every batch can be different, and all will be delicious! If you’d like try another slow cooker granola, check out our recipe for Springtime Slow Cooker Granola or Slow Cooker Almond Granola with Dates and Coconut.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1/3 cup coconut oil (or butter)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract, optional
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups gluten-free oats
- 1 cup gluten-free cereal or mixture of cereals (crushed Cheerios, Chex cereal, etc)
- 1/4 cup ground flax
- 1/4 cup unsweetened, flaked coconut
- 1/2 cup chopped dried peaches (or whatever dried fruit you have on hand)
Instructions
- In a dry, medium-sized skillet over medium heat, toast the walnuts about 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Transfer the toasted nuts to a small bowl, return the skillet to the heat and add the rinsed quinoa. Stir with a spatula constantly until it dries out a bit and is toasted, about 4 more minutes. Remove from the heat.
- In the slow cooker crock, whisk together the coconut oil, honey, brown sugar, allspice, coconut extract (if using) and salt. Add the oats, cereal/cereal mixture and flax; stir until all ingredients are well combined. Cover and cook 1 hour on HIGH.
- Stir mixture well, then prop the lid open with a wooden spoon handle. Continue to cook on HIGH (with lid propped open) for an additional 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so. Continue to keep the lid vented during cooking. The granola is done when it becomes a toasted, golden brown color.
- Stir in the coconut, dried fruit and the toasted walnuts, then transfer the hot granola to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or foil. Allow granola to cool completely. Break up any big chunks of granola and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
No comments yet.