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Crunchy, packed with flavours and a hint of lemon aroma, this Summer Lemon Quinoa Granola has become one of my recent favourite snack/breakfast food! It’s made with simple ingredients and only needs less than 10 minutes to put together!
I think we all can feel that summer is here! And even if you don’t feel it YET, or it’s not in summer when you see this recipe post, this Lemon Quinoa Granola is still enjoyable throught all other seasons, at least that’s what I feel.
Talking about summer, one of my favourite snack/breakfast options is granola with cold soy milk or plant-based yogurt. And I want to let it be more “summer-y,” that’s why I made this granola that echoes this season very well.
Features of this granola:
- Crunchy and spot-on sweet, no more, no less!
- More protein gained thanks to quinoas
- Accompanied by a beautiful lemon aroma
- Oil-free, which means if you don’t have oil at hand you can still make it!
Watch How to Make >> Summer Lemon Quinoa Granola
Ingredients You Need
- Rolled oats: I always love to use rolled oats in most granola recipes. They will give out a great texture, especially if you love crunchy granola as I do.
- Nuts: You can use any nuts you like. Here I use a mixture of walnuts and hazelnuts.
- Uncooked quinoas: Here I want to put emphasis on the “uncooked”. Make sure to use raw quinoa, not cooked. As for which colour, I’d say any kind of quinoas will work!
- Ground flaxseed: Here I add some ground flaxseed to work as a binder. You can make it by grinding whole flaxseeds in a coffee grinder or high-speed blender.
- Chia seeds: I add some chia seeds here to add more texture. And I don’t know why, but chia seeds always make me think of summer. Do you feel the same way?
- Salt: Just as usual, a pinch will be enough.
- Coconut sugar: I’m in love with coconut sugar, so I kind of use it all the time. But if you don’t have it, you can also use cane sugar, best if it’s organic or to make sure your sugar is vegan/no animal product involved.
- Maple syrup: I think you can never go wrong with maple syrup in granola recipes. Just saying. (wink wink)
- Nut butter: You can use any nut butter you like. Just keep in mind that the flavour of the nut butter will pass through the granola. I personally like to use more neutral flavour ones like almond butter and cashew butter.
- Pure vanilla extract: A hint of vanilla with the lemony note makes the perfect summer taste!
- Applesauce: Here I’m using some applesauce to add more fruity flavour to this granola. You can use a store bought one or make it yourself. It’s very easy! (Homemade Applesauce)
And also need a little dash of water, which I assume most people would have easy access to already.
How to Make Summer Lemon Quinoa Granola
- Preheat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a baking mat or baking paper.
- Add rolled oats, chopped nuts, quinoa, ground flaxseed, chia seeds, salt, and coconut sugar to a big bowl. Use a silicone spatula or fork to mix them together.
- Then in another bowl, add maple syrup, nut butter, vanilla extract, applesauce, and lemon zest. Use a fork or small whisk to mix them together.
- Pour the wet mixture into the oat-nut mixture. Use a silicone spatula or fork to mix it all together evenly.
- Transfer the mixture to the lined baked sheet. Use a spatula to spread it out evenly into a single layer.
- Bake it in the oven on the middle rack at 175°C / 350°F for 20~25 minu1tes. It should be golden brown and firm to the touch.
- Move the baking sheet onto a wire rack to cool down completely. Break it into small pieces. Enjoy it as it is or serve it with plant-based milk/yogurt.
How to Store Summer Lemon Quinoa Granola
Once the granola has cool down completely, store it in an air-tight container or jar. It should be good at room temperature for about 1 week or 2~3 weeks in the fridge.
But to be honest I’ve never let it stay long. This is not a big batch and I can easily finish it in a week by myself.
Questions You Might Have
I don’t have rolled oats, can I use instant oats instead?
Technically, yes, you can. But I would say the final texture will be slightly different because instant oats are finer than rolled oats.
Are there other substitutions for applesauce?
I haven’t tried other substitutions to replace applesauce yet, but if really don’t have applesauce at hand, I’d say you can use melted coconut oil instead.
I don’t have coconut sugar. What kind of sugar can I use?
I use coconut sugar because I really adore the flavour. But technically, you can simply use cane sugar, preferably organic because some refined sugar might not be vegan due to the process.
Final Words
Granola has always been one of my favourite breakfast/snack food. And I hope this summer rendition will give you a taste of summer, no matter when you’re making it! And if you have other questions or thoughts, let me know by commenting down below or tagging me on Instagram, so I could see your baked goods too!
More Vegan Recipes:
- No-bake Breakfast Flake Cereal Bars (Vegan, 8 Ingredients)
- Vegan Gluten-free Banana Pancakes
- Healthy Chocolate Granola (9 ingredients)
Summer Lemon Quinoa Granola
Ingredients
- 100 g rolled oats, (~1 cup)
- 40 g nuts, chopped. I use walnuts and hazelnuts (~2 Tbsp each)
- 4 Tbsp uncooked quinoas
- 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
- 1/2 Tbsp chia seeds
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1.5 Tbsp coconut sugar, or organic cane sugar
- 1 lemon, zest only
- 30 g maple syrup, 1.5 Tbsp
- 1 Tbsp nut butter, *
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp applesauce
- 1 Tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a baking mat or baking paper.
- Add rolled oats, chopped nuts, quinoa, ground flaxseed, chia seeds, salt, and coconut sugar to a big bowl. Use a silicone spatula or fork to mix them together.
- Then in another bowl, add maple syrup, nut butter, vanilla extract, applesauce, and lemon zest. Use a fork or small whisk to mix them together.
- Pour the wet mixture into the oat-nut mixture. Use a silicone spatula or fork to mix it all together evenly.
- Transfer the mixture to the lined baked sheet. Use a spatula to spread it out evenly into a single layer.
- Bake it in the oven on the middle rack at 175°C / 350°F for 20~25 minu1tes. It should be golden brown and firm to the touch.
- Move the baking sheet onto a wire rack to cool down completely. Break it into small pieces. Enjoy it as it is or serve it with plant-based milk/yogurt.
Notes
- *Nut Butter: I usually use almond butter or cashew butter. Use the one without added oil and best a bit runny. (How to Make Nut Butter)
- Storage: Once the granola has cool down completely, store it in an air-tight container or jar. It should be good at room temperature for 1 week or 2~3 weeks in the fridge.
