I never really got on the granola train my entire adult life because almost all brands I found at the store were full of sugar and other yucky ingredients!

When you’re trying to lose weight on the 17 Day Diet, the last thing you need is a high-sugar granola in your life!

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always loved granola, but shied away from it due to the sugar content.

It wasn’t until recently I found a great Paleo granola recipe from Rachael’s Good Eats on Instagram and decided to adapt her recipe a bit to fit our own family preferences.

After months and months of making and tweaking my adapted Healthy Homemade Granola recipe, I decided it was time to finally share the final version for those looking for a homemade lean granola for the 17 Day Diet.

This recipe is super customizable so you can add to, substitute, or leave out certain ingredients.

Healthy Homemade Granola Ingredients

This Healthy Homemade Granola recipe is filled with low-sugar and heart healthy ingredients such as old fashioned oats, nuts and seeds.

Foods high in fat get a bad rap.

While the 17 Day Diet promotes low fat foods, especially during cycles 1 and 2, the Cycle 3 Food list is filled with healthy fats such as nuts and seeds.

This Healthy Homemade Granola recipe features quite a few, so if you’re on the 17 Day Diet, this recipe is perfect for Cycle 3.

Here are a few of the key ingredients:

Old Fashioned Oats

While the original recipe I adapted didn’t contain oats (it is a Paleo recipe after all), I wanted to add this ingredient into the recipe, mainly on the request of my partner. 

I use old fashioned oats because that’s what I usually have in the pantry.

If you don’t have old fashioned, you can probably get away with quick oats.

However, I haven’t tried quick oats, so I can’t tell you exactly how your granola will turn out.

Almonds

The secret to this recipe is to use natural nuts and seeds – basically no salt, no sugar, and not roasted.

I love almonds and they are a main feature in this Healthy Homemade Granola recipe.

Almonds are filled with healthy fats, fiber and protein.

Alone, they serve as a great snack when you’re hungry as they keep you satiated and keep your blood sugar in check. In this recipe, they are key!

If you want a really quality almond, I recommend Wild Soil Almonds.

These aren’t your average almonds that you get in the store.

Most almonds are super crunchy and semi-stale, but these have a soft bite to them (it’s how they’re grown that makes a difference). 

You can read more about what makes them unique on their Wild Soil Almonds product page on Amazon.

Walnuts

Walnuts are another key ingredient in this Healthy Homemade Granola recipe.

Walnuts are extremely healthy and filled with antioxidants and heart-healthy Omega-3’s as well as fiber and protein.

These lovely nuts also help keep your gut healthy, may help decrease inflammation and help support weight control.

I buy my walnuts already chopped and they are the perfect size for this recipe! One less nut to chop!

Pecans

I love Pecan Pie, but I don’t love all the sugar that is used to make the pie.

What I love about this Healthy Homemade Granola recipe is that I get the yummy flavor of one of my favorite nuts without all the added sugar!

Pecans have a slew of health benefits – they are heart healthy and help reduce the risk of heart disease, they help with digestion, boost the immune system and have wonderful anti-aging benefits.

Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are my go-to seed when I’m looking to add something crunchy to salads.

These were in the original recipe, so I definitely kept them in my adaptation!

Pumpkin seeds are very healthy for you.

They contain a ton of anti-oxidants, are high in magnesium and fiber!

They are known to help improve heart health, lower blood sugar levels and help reduce the risk of certain cancers. 

Flax Seed

I love flax seed. I especially love golden flax seed because it has a great nutty flavor and isn’t typically bitter like regular flax seed. 

Flax seed is chock-full of nutrients, heart-healthy fats, fiber and protein.

Flax seed helps keep your digestion in tip-top shape, may improve cholesterol and help lower blood pressure.

Other Ingredients

Besides the ingredients I mentioned above, you’ll also use coconut oil, corn starch (or arrowroot starch), and a bit of spice and sweetness.

The entire recipe with the list of ingredients is down below in the recipe card.

17 Day Diet Lean Granola

According to the Cycle 3 Food List for the 17 Day Diet, “low-sugar” granola is approved. One-half cup equals one serving according to the food list. This Healthy Homemade Granola recipe is refined sugar free as it uses real maple syrup.

It’s sweetened with 1 Tablespoon of real Maple Syrup. While Maple Syrup is not on any of the cycle food lists, it’s only 1 Tablespoon, so it’s not enough to write home about.

However, you can definitely omit this ingredient or you may use a stevia-based sweetener.

I’m a fan of real unrefined sugar, so real maple syrup it is for me!

Melted coconut oil is also used in this recipe, but you will not find coconut oil on any of the food lists for the 17 Day Diet. 

When the 17 Day Diet was created years ago, coconut oil wasn’t as popular then as it is now.

Even though it’s not on the approved food lists, you’ll want to use this in order to help your granola stay together once baked.

Lastly, this recipe calls for corn starch to help keep the granola together.

Corn starch is not on any cycle food list, but we’re only using 1 Tablespoon in this recipe, so it’s not too much.

However, if you want to use arrowroot powder, this is a great lower carb option.

Serving Size for the 17 Day Diet

This particular Healthy Homemade Granola Recipe makes about two cups of granola (give or take).

While the 17 Day Diet serving size for a “low sugar granola” is 1/2 cup, it’s easy to use less and still get what you need as far as satiation. 

I personally use about 1/4 cup of granola with my plain yogurt and it seems to be the perfect amount. 

For purposes of this recipe, I’m using 1/4 cup as a serving size, but know that if you’re on the 17 Day Diet, that 1/2 cup counts as a one serving of natural starch on Cycle 3.

If you’re not sure which foods are allowed during cycle 3, make sure you take a look at my 17 Day Diet Cycle 3 Food List.

You can also check out my book on Amazon called Fast Track Your Weight Loss With the 17 Day Diet which has all the food lists (and a 7 day meal plan, too!).

Granola for the 17 Day Kickstart Diet

If you happen to be on the 17 Day Kickstart Diet, you can certainly use this recipe starting on the 10-Day Stabilize Phase when oats and nuts are approved.

If you’re not sure which foods are allowed when, make sure you take a peek at my 17 Day Kickstart Diet Food List.

Keto Friendly Granola

If you happen to be on a Keto Diet, you can definitely use this recipe for my Healthy Homemade Granola. Here are a few changes you’ll want to make:

1. Omit the oats (add 2/3 cup extra of your favorite nuts/seeds)
2. Use an approved sweetener (or leave out all together – it tastes great without it!)

Substitutions for this Healthy Homemade Granola

As I mentioned earlier, this Healthy Homemade Granola recipe can be easily customizable.

You may use your favorite nuts or seeds or sweetener of choice.

It’s all about what works for you and what you have on hand in your pantry.

Different Nuts and Seeds

When I first started making this recipe, I used 3 Tablespoons of Chia Seeds in addition to flax seed.

I started finding that I wasn’t enjoying finding plumped-up chia seeds in my teeth long after eating the granola, so I stopped using it when I ran out of chia seeds.

I enjoy the recipe much more without chia seeds! If you want the extra fiber and healthy fats, you can certainly add chia seeds to your granola!

I’ve also made this recipe without using ground flax seed when I ran out one time, and the granola turned out perfectly fine, too!

If you want to use other seeds such as sunflower or chia seeds for instance, or hazelnuts instead of walnuts, you can certainly use them in addition to the current ingredients, or you can use it as a replacement for another ingredient in this recipe.

Different Sweeteners

In the beginning of adapting this recipe, I  used to use a full 2 Tablespoons of maple syrup, just like the original recipe called for.

However, after much tweaking, I ended up enjoying the flavor and sweetness of 1 Tablespoon of real maple syrup.

If you don’t have syrup at home, you can easily skip this.

You can also use honey in its place, but make sure the honey is warmed through with the coconut oil and well-blended, or it will not mix well with the other ingredients.

If you’re on the 17 Day Diet, use a Stevia-based sweetener or you may choose to skip it.

If you’re on the Keto Diet, use a Keto-friendly sweetener or leave it out all together.

Experiment with what you have and see how your granola turns out!

Equipment Needed for this Healthy Homemade Granola Recipe

In the recipe card below, you’ll notice that all the nuts and seeds need to be chopped or pulsed a few times in your processor. 

Ninja Master Prep

I use the small chopper bowl that comes with the Ninja Master Prep (blender and processor combo). It’s the perfect size to pulse the nuts and seeds and it’s affordable! 

If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a cutting board and sharp knife to give your ingredients a rough chop.

Coffee Bean Grinder

I use a Mr. Coffee Electric Blade Coffee Bean Grinder to grind up my flax seeds. You can also use it to quickly pulse your pumpkin seeds, too.

If you don’t have a coffee bean grinder or food processor, you can also purchase ground flax seed instead of grinding it yourself. 

Storage Containers for Ingredients

I’ve been making this Healthy Homemade Granola recipe weekly for months now.

I keep all ingredients on hand at all times. In order to keep my nuts and seeds fresh, I store them in air tight containers by OXO. They have many sizes to chose from depending on your needs.

Quick Tips for Healthy Homemade Granola

I won’t go into every single step right here (you’ll see all steps below in the recipe card). I do, however, want to point out a few quick tips on certain steps.

Quick Tip #1

After you chop your nuts and seeds, and you’re ready to pour the coconut mixture into the dry ingredients, at first it might seem like there isn’t enough liquid to fully coat the dry ingredients. This isn’t the case.

Keep stirring the mixture together and everything will eventually be fully coated in the coconut mixture.

Here’s how the mixture will end up looking once fully mixed together:

Quick Tip #2

You’ll bake your granola on a baking sheet. Use a piece of parchment paper for easy clean up.

Once you place your granola mixture onto the parchment paper, shape your granola into a rectangle and pat down.

You’ll want to make sure you keep the mixture pretty tight so it bakes and stays in nice chunks!

Quick Tip #3

I love cinnamon! If you’re a lover of this spicy goodness too, try sprinkling a light layer over the top of your unbaked granola. 

Cinnamon has many health benefits.

It not only has many anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, it also helps lower blood sugar levels.

I love adding extra cinnamon when a recipe calls for it, so don’t be shy!

The extra layer on top will make your granola that much better!

Once your granola is finished baking, make sure to let it cool completely before gently breaking it a part for storage. 

Here’s the final product with the extra cinnamon on top.

How to Store Granola

This Healthy Homemade Granola recipe will last a few weeks sealed in an air-tight container.

I store my granola in a large plastic container and it sits on the counter ready for use!

You can certainly store in this in the refrigerator if you want it to last longer.

You can store your granola in an air tight plastic container by OXO.

How to Use Healthy Homemade Granola Recipe

There are several ways to incorporate this Healthy Homemade Granola recipe into your daily or weekly meal routine.

I personally love to use about 1/4 cup of granola with my plain yogurt.

Here are a few other ways to use this granola:

• On yogurt with berries
• As a topping in your smoothie bowl or green smoothie
• As a cereal with unsweetened almond milk (here’s my homemade almond milk recipe)
• Use uncooked granola as a topping (aka crumble) on sliced fruit and bake
• Top your Breakfast Chia Pudding with granola
• Snack by itself

Use Healthy Homemade Granola with these Recipes

This Healthy Homemade Granola is a perfect topper for smoothies and yogurt. Here are a few of my favorite recipes to use with this granola recipe.

• Breakfast Smoothie Recipe for the 17 Day Diet
• Lavender Haze Superfood Smoothie
• Breakfast Chia Pudding
• Busy Bee’s Superfood Smoothie Recipe
• Blueberries and Cream Green Smoothie
• Strawberry, Peanut Butter & Chocolate Collagen Smoothie
• Lunch Smoothie Recipe for the 17 Day Diet
• Yogurt with Berries
• Dinner Smoothie Recipe for the 17 Day Diet

Other Breakfast Recipes

If you enjoy this Healthy Homemade Granola recipe for breakfast (or a snack), here are a few other healthy and low carb breakfast ideas with recipes you may want to try:

• Waffle Omelettes 
• Greek Egg Cups
• Chicken Apple Sausage
• Veggie Egg Cups
• Dr. Mike’s Power Cookie for the 17 Day Diet
• Mushroom & Spinach Egg Bites
• Skillet Garden Eggs
• Asparagus and Eggs for the 17 Day Diet

If you make this Healthy Homemade Granola recipe, I’d love for you to come back and review this recipe below in the recipe card.

Plus, if you’re on social media, make sure you tag me @17ddblog and let me know if you made any customizations to your granola! Enjoy!

Here is the link to the original Easy 20-Minute Paleo Granola recipe by Rachael’s Good Eats.