Lemon scented granola studded with dried blueberries, coconut and almonds is just what you need to put a spring in your step at breakfast time!
Homemade granola is my favourite way to start the day – and today’s granola is extra special because I made it as part of a granola party baby shower for Leah from Grain Changer! Leah and her husband Anthony are expecting a gorgeous baby boy in a few short weeks so a bunch of her bloggy friends just had to get together for a surprise baby shower! And if you know Leah, you know that it had to be granola themed! She is queen of the granola jar after all! 
I became blogging friends with Leah just after she started her blog (seriously, you have to make the first ever recipe she posted: Gluten Free Walnut Chocolate Banana Bread – life changing I tell you) and I love her fresh, interesting gluten free recipes, and the great gluten free tips and travel ideas she posts! I was even lucky enough to spend a whole day with her and Anthony (and Matt and Lynn) when Chris and I were in Philadelphia last year! And yes, she brought a loaf of that banana bread with her to the great night we spent at Matt and Lynn’s home eating cheese and playing board games. I’m so happy for you and Anthony, and I can’t wait to meet Baby M in person one day!
To honour our friend Leah, Lynn rounded up a whole bunch of her bloggy friends to create new and interesting granola recipes to celebrate Baby M! Once you’ve drooled over my Lemon Blueberry Granola head over to these ladies and check out their delicious recipes! I know my granola jar will never be empty again!
- Life After Wheat – Oat Free Granola
- Flippin’ Delicious – Gluten Free Gingerbread Granola
- Fit Mitten Kitchen – Maple Walnut Cinnamon Granola
- Fresh April Flours – Chai Spiced Granola
- The Emotional Baker – Coconut Granola
- A Clean Bake – Tropical Hempseed Granola
I was inspired to take one of my favourite spring time cakes (lemon and blueberry) and turn it into granola for this celebration. We start off with a base of oats. I am lucky enough to be able to tolerate oats, but if you can’t you can certainly substitute the same amount of quinoa flakes, or buckwheat flakes for the oats. I love adding interesting crunchy things to my oats so this granola gets a heaping dose of buckwheat kernels, sunflower seeds, coconut, almonds, and…dried blueberries! They are one of my favourite little indulgences. The whole batch is sweetened with a touch of honey, and flavoured with lemon zest and juice for a pretty punch of flavour!
The lemon comes through so pleasantly in this granola because we use the zest and juice of two lemons. Believe me, the juicing and grating is worth it! It’s like sprinkling sunshine on your yoghurt! Although, I have to be truthful, I also ate handfuls of this as a pre-run snack, a post run snack, and perhaps with a square or two of dark chocolate as a sweet and crunchy dessert. However you choose to eat it, believe me, it’s delicious and moreish! 
Lemon Blueberry Granola
makes about 6 cups | Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month
note: use certified gluten free oats to make this gluten free. If these aren’t available substitute with quinoa flakes or buckwheat flakes
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup buckwheat kernels (groats)
- 1 cup almonds
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons rice bran oil (or grapeseed oil)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- Juice and zest of 2 lemons
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 3/4 cup dried blueberries
Method
- Preheat your oven to 160C (320F) and line two rimmed baking sheets with baking paper.
- In a large bowl mix together rolled oats, buckwheat kernels, almonds, and sunflower seeds.
- In a large jug whisk together salt, honey, rice bran oil, vanilla essence, and lemon zest and juice. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix together until everything is coated.
- Spread granola over the baking sheets and bake for 20 minutes. Change position of the baking sheets halfway through cooking time and give everything a little stir so that the edges don’t burn.
- Add the shredded coconut, stir through, and bake for a further 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and add the dried blueberries. Give everything a mix and then leave to cool completely before storing in a jar or a large airtight container in the refrigerator.
