Crunchy Granola THM E or XO • Low Fat • Sugar Free

Enjoy delicious, crunchy granola clusters flavored just as you like without all the calories and without the unhealthy sweeteners!

How to Get Crunchy Granola Without the Carb Overload

Most commercial and homemade granola (even the so-called “healthy” ones) are typically made using unhealthful sweeteners like sugar or corn syrup or healthy ones such as maple syrup or honey. While I have nothing against either maple syrup or honey, they unfortunately aren’t the best for achieving a trim waistline.

These sweeteners are great for making the granola cereal taste amazing, but they also serve an important function: they cause the granola to become crunchy and formed into clusters.

Cutting out these high carb sweeteners and subbing a healthy low glycemic sweetener such as xylitol, erythritol, or stevia is easy enough to do and succeeds at making the granola sweet. But now you’ve lost your crunchiness.

Enter: egg whites. Egg whites are void of both carbs and fat and, when used towards making crunchy granola, do an amazing job! The resulting granola is crunchy, in clusters, and tastes amazing!

What to Add to Your Granola

The recipe I’m sharing today is mainly a method for achieving crunchy granola clusters without overdoing carbs or fat. So you get to jazz it up however you like!

Below are some add-in ideas. I’ve divided them according to fuel type as is the Trim Healthy Mama way. With each add in, I give the amount you’ll need per recipe of granola.

Carbalicious (THM E)

Pick one or the other. Adding both will make the carbs too high.

• dried fruit (any kind, unsweetened, 2 tablespoons)
• fresh fruit (any kind, 1/4 cup; add after baking)

Neutralific (THM FP)

These can be added generously because their fuel source is neutral (FP). However, keep in mind that the result dish will still be Carbalicious (THM E) because it is made with healthy carb oats.

• cocoa powder (1 tablespoon)
• carob powder (1 tablespoon)
• Just Like Brown Sugar (use 3 tablespoons worth instead of the Super Sweet Blend)
• Homemade Honey or Nature’s Hollow Sugar Free Honey (use 3 tablespoons worth instead of the Super Sweet Blend)
• Homemade Sugar Free Maple Syrup or Nature’s Hollow Maple Sugar Free Syrup (use 3 tablespoons worth instead of the Super Sweet Blend)
• salt to taste
• ground cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon)
• ground cardamom (1/4 teaspoon)
• pure vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)

Fusiontacular (THM XO)

Adding these additional fatty items to the oatmeal will take it into the THM XO mode. This is not conducive to weight loss, but it is perfect to just eat healthfully or maintain weight and it is good for kids and pregnant mamas.

• shredded coconut (unsweetened, 3 tablespoons)
• additional nuts and seeds (up to 1/2 cup; you might need to add an extra frothy egg white if you add a lot more nuts or seeds)
• chocolate chips (85% or darker OR stevia sweetened; add after baking)

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Crunchy Granola

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

45 mins

 

Healthy, crunchy granola clusters cereal without the carb overload are officially within reach with this easy four-ingredient granola!

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Fuel Source: Carbalicious (THM E)

Diets: DF, GF, LF, SF, VT

Yield: 4 servings

US Units - Metric Units

Ingredients

• 2 large egg whites
• 2 cups dry old fashioned oats
• 4 teaspoons raw nuts and seeds of choice
• 1 tablespoon Super Sweet Blend (more or less to taste)
• add-ins of choice, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300° Fahrenheit. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy.
3. Add the oats, sweetener, nuts, and add-ins. Stir with a rubber spatula until evenly coated in the egg whites.
4. Spread in an even layer over the baking sheet.
5. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring about halfway (be careful to retain clusters), or until the desired golden brown crunchiness is achieved.
6. Store in an airtight container.

Nutrition Facts

Crunchy Granola

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 176 Calories from Fat 41

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 4.5g 7%

Total Carbohydrates 27g 9%

Dietary Fiber 4g 16%

Protein 7.5g 15%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition facts are approximate and may vary based on specific ingredients used.

Calories: 176 kcal