Have you ever searched for a sugar-free recipe only to find it doesn’t contain white sugar but includes ingredients like maple syrup, silan, agave, coconut sugar, or organic cane sugar? All of these are essentially sugars for the body. Yes, they’re healthier than white sugar (heaven forbid), but they are still sugar.
Why is that? Imagine receiving a gift from nature wrapped in a beautiful ribbon, like dried dates. But then you decide to tear off the ribbon, open the box, and pick out only one thing—sugar from dates. This is precisely how all these so-called sugar substitutes are made. So, if you’re not struggling with high sugar levels or trying to lose weight, it’s perfectly fine to consume these healthier sugar alternatives. The problem arises if you’re trying to slim down or belong to the category of those with high blood sugar levels.
Returning to dried dates for a moment, I highly recommend and am just in love with the Medjool variety, which has an excellent reputation. What is silan? We’ve taken nature’s gift—dried dates—and removed all the healthy components—dietary fibers, potassium, magnesium, copper, vitamin B6, and antioxidants—which help sugar enter the bloodstream gradually, maintaining satiety and optimal sugar levels, leaving only the sugar. To avoid this, here’s an insanely delicious and truly sugar-free homemade granola recipe. And how do I do it? I simply use whole dried dates. It’s simply incredible.
Gather Your Goodies
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup nuts of choice (you can mix several types)
1 cup seeds of choice (such as flaxseeds or chia seeds)
1/4 cup dried coconut flakes
1/2 to 1 1/2 cups pitted dried dates (preferably Medjool dates)
Water
1/2 cup natural unsweetened peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1/2 to 1 cup unsweetened
How to Whip it Up?
Date Paste: Blend the dried dates with a little water in a powerful blender until smooth. Adjust water as needed for a smooth consistency. (I use and recommend Vitamix.)
Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the date paste, peanut butter, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt.
Dry Ingredients: Chop nuts, seeds, and coconut into medium-sized pieces, and mix them with the wet ingredients.
Baking: Preheat the oven to 300°F. Spread the mixture evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake: Bake for 30-45 minutes until the granola is crispy, stirring every 10 minutes for even cooking.
Cool: Let the granola cool for a few minutes before transferring it to an airtight container.
Store: Keep in a cool place.
Enjoy your delicious homemade Sugar-Free granola! 😊
