{Guest Post Friday} Nut-Free Quinoa Granola and a Winner!

HAPPY FRIDAY LOVELIES!

I have such a fun guest blogger today and am SO excited to introduce her to you all!  This is Leanne from How Sweet It Is - Leanne Bakes and she is an extremely talented baker and full-time mommy living in the wonderful city of Vancouver.  I mean seriously, she made a Louis Vuitton cake, how can you not love her?!

I know who's making MY next birthday cake.

(cough cough)

 

Oh yeah and isn't she just completely adorable???

I've been a fan of her blog for so long now and was really excited when she agreed to guest post for me.  I'm not a baker or decorator by any stretch of the imagination so when I came across delicious goodies like this, and this, oh and definitely THIS....I just knew I had found some inspiration!

So enough of my rambling, please welcome the gorgeous Leanne!  I hope she can inspire you just as much as she has me :)

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I usually bake really unhealthy, butter-laden desserts, so when Kelly posted she was looking for guest bloggers I wasn't quire sure I had anything to offer.  But then I remembered I could share my favourite granola recipe - Nut-Free Quinoa Granola!

A few years ago I had to submit to the fact that I had developed a serious allergy to tree nuts, and coconut (among other things).  I was deeply saddened, because so many of my favourite foods were now off-limits - including granola, with its delicious combination of all the foods that now hated me.  I embarked on a journey of learning to cook around my allergies, and have now (I think) perfected a nut and coconut-free granola that is healthy and delicious.

The nutty flavor of the quinoa is a perfect substitute, so much that I don't even miss the old variety!  Feel free to mix up the ingredients and add different amounts to suit your tastes.  I hope you enjoy is as much as I do!

Here are your ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats (You can use less, but I really like oats)

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/3 cup uncooked quinoa

1 cup maple syrup

2 tsp. cinnamon

Dash of nutmeg

1/3 cup dried blueberries, or cranberries

1/2 cup raisins

Combine oats, seeds, quinoa, in a large bowl and mix well.  Add the syrup to the oat mixture, stirring until evenly distributed.  Sprinkle the cinnamon and nutmeg on top of the mixture and mix, mix, mix.

Spread the granola evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour.  Once cooked, remove and set aside to cool.  Add in raisins and other dried berries.  

Click here for a printable version of this recipe 

Thank you SO much Leanne for guest posting today!  Go check out her blog and send her some love!

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So now for the winners!

Winners you ask?  As in plural??

You bet!  Muir Glen Organic Tomatoes has graciously offered to give not one but, TWO Reserve Kits away!  Thanks again to everyone who entered this giveaway.  Seriously everything tastes incredible and there are SO many possibilities for dishes you could make with their products!

With that said, let's announce some lucky winners.

(Drum roll please...)

Congratulations Christina at This Woman Cooks!

Congratulations Colleen at Halleelujah Mommy!

Hope you both make some delicious recipes with your yummy new products!  Thanks to everyone who entered, I'll be having another giveaway SOON for my 100th post :)  Can't believe I've already had this blog a whole 6 months!

I'm loving every minute.