The nut-free, grain-free topping you will want to sprinkle on everything. This Grain-Free Rawnola recipe is chewy and sweet, with 2 options: easy or easier!
Hi friends, it feels wonderful to be back! Nothing like a week in Who Knows Where, New York to make me appreciate the little normal-life things again.
Things like a freshly blended bowl of banana ice cream, my dog snoring and sleep-twitching in the middle of the night, and the pesky playfulness of late afternoon sun when I am trying so hard to squeeze in a photoshoot before dark. Are the days getting shorter or is it just my fear of fall playing mind games on me? Summer don’t leave us!!
If you saw my Instagram post, then you know that I didn’t just internet-disappear for no reason, but that I spent all of last week at The Woodstock Fruit Festival. And wow what an amazing time!
The Woodstock Fruit Festival
Every day left me with that wonderfully content feeling of exhaustion. You know the walked up so many hills, talked to so many people, learned so many things kind of exhausted. That sweet in-nature, off-line feeling.
The Food
The fruit selection was fantastic, of course. I tried…
–Jackfruit. Ehhh not for me…it smells better than it tastes. And those sticky fingers! I felt like I was in preschool art class again with a glue stick. (Okay let’s be real, I still got glue-y fingers in like the 7th grade)
–Mamey sapote. Wow, and I thought mangoes were sweet. This stuff is amazing! It literally tastes like someone injected extra sugar into it or something.
–Pink pitaya (not frozen) -> Tastes just like the white ones to me, and I like it. What I liked even more was watching small children eat this and turn themselves pink…adorable!
–Strawberry papayas. I came to the festival a papaya hater, but they grew on me throughout the week. And hello good digestion!
–Durian. Nope, still not a fan. It looks all fluffy and delicious, but it tastes too much like it smells. Too sulfur-y (<- very technical term).
–Longans. Like eyeballs but in a good way. A sweet way.
–Mangosteen. A lot of skin for a little bit of fruit, but very sweet and delicious. Although one of my cabin mates reeeeeeally loved them so I gave her most of mine to save more stomach space for mangoes!
I think those were all the weird fruits I tried. There were of course the usuals like apples, tangerines, mangoes, grapes, and figs too. I must say, not having to shop or chop or prep anything was pretty great too.
Besides mangoes, one of my favorite parts was the young thai coconuts. Freshly coco-jacked open, sweet water sloshing, just waiting for a straw to sip it all up! And you better believe I dug in for that fresh coconut meat too.
One of my other favorite parts was the banana date cinnamon rolls. Oh man those things were the best! I’m pretty sure I ate 5 the last day there. I will be making those at home as soon as I learn how to slice a banana lengthwise without it breaking. Perhaps I’ll put my own spin on them and make an oven version or something…we’ll see!
And there were plenty of delicious dressings and savory raw dishes too like chili, tacos with thinly sliced jicama for a shell, zoodles galore, hemp seed ranch dressing, cauliflower tabouleh, and more!
The Non Food Part
I went to a few really lovely outdoor yoga classes, took a hip hop dance class, and hiked a short but steep trail every day to a beautiful view. I went to lots of talks on all sorts of topics–authenticity, natural/diy beauty products, raw food (duh), moving to Hawaii, running an online business, veganism in social situations, and many more.
And best of all I met some truly amazing people. My entire cabin was filled with inspiring ladies and we had wonderful chats about anything and everything.
Grain-Free Rawnola Recipe
So inspired by all the raw food from last week, I have a raw recipe to share today. It’s an actually raw version of rawnola. My previous rawnola recipes all use oats, which are delicious but not technically raw. However, this grain-free rawnola recipe is oat-free!
There are 2 versions. The first is made with hemp seeds and coconut as the dry ingredients (pictured on the light pink nicecream). The second uses dried mulberries, so it is 100% fruity (pictured on the bright pink nicecream).
A food processor works best for this grain-free rawnola recipe to achieve optimal clumpiness. Depending on the moisture content of your dates and/or mulberries, it might turn out a little stickier than desired. If that is the case, refrigerate it overnight uncovered in a shallow container and then it should be perfect!
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Grain-Free Rawnola (2 ways!)
Ingredients
Coconut Hemp Rawnola
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- 6–8 pitted Medjool dates
Mulberry Rawnola
- 3/4 cup dried white mulberries
- 6–8 pitted Medjool dates
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients for either version in a food processor. Process until just clumpy. DO NOT over-process or it will turn into a ball.
- Transfer to a jar or container. If it’s too sticky, refrigerate uncovered overnight in a shallow container to dry it out.
- Keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Love this post! Sounds like you had a great time…young thai coconuts are a favorite of mine too, especially if the white part on the inside is present to eat after drinking the water. I’m so intrigued with that raw banana cinnamon roll, can’t wait to see what you do with that recipe! This raw-nola sounds awesome! Both flavors sound really good, and I love mullberries!
Mmmm yes the coconut meat is so tasty! I really love blending it into stuff, Audrey from Unconventional Baker has this caramel pudding made with coconut meat and dates and it is crazy decadent. That’s my favorite treat when I get a whole coconut. But yes, I am excited to experiment with the cinnamon roll concept at home now too 🙂
Oh wow…need to try that! My in laws always get the young coconuts in palm springs from a local market so will try not to eat all of it and save it to try that recipe!
Okay. You MUST tell me next time you are going to something like this!! I totally want to join!!! Everything about it sounds amazing from the fruit to the activities. I am a fellow self proclaimed papaya hater so I am curious to see if I could find a variety that I like!
Awww that would’ve been extra amazing! And it would’ve been a short trip for you 🙂 I can’t say that I love papaya yet, but getting closer. I hear there are even better varieties in Hawaii! Well if I go next year I’ll let you know and we can work on our relationships with papaya together 😀
So jealous of that fruit festival, that sounds amazing!!! Also this rawnola needs to be made because it looks INSANE! I want to add this to the smoothie that I am currently eating right now 🙂
It was so much delicious fun! Plus just having all your food taken care of for a week was pretty nice 🙂 Mmmmm yes, smoothies and smoothie bowls are oodles and doodles better with rawnola on top!
Oh wow! I need to try rawnola so badly! What a great idea. Hope you enjoyed your time off. I have to say I have never tried any of the fruit you mentioned above. Unfortunately here in the UK (the part that I live in anyway!) we have nothing as exotic as that!
I know, the tropics seem to have all the fun fruits. I don’t get them where I live either, but that sort of made it even more fun. And honestly I still think after all those mangoes still hold the top spot as my favorite fruit 🙂 But rawnola–you gotta try it. The oat version or this one, it’s sooooo yummy on nicecream!
Love love love this! I can’t wait to try it, both ways sound absolutely delicious. I should be going to bed but instead I’m sitting here craving banana cinnamon rolls, young Thai coconuts, mangoes, aaand nice cream with your really real rawnola. Thank you for allowing me to live vicariously through your experience at the fruit festival, it sounds incredible!
I just woke up and now I’m craving all those things too!?? Hahaha anytime!
Welcome back, Nat! <3 <3 It's official, we have to hold each other as we brace for summer to pass. Haha. But who cares, we're gonna do Halloween the best way possible this year, so there! I love that you had such an amazing time at the fruit festival. 🙂 What could honestly be better than hearing the Chief Fruit Expert Adventurer taste test fruits? 🙂 Only, there should be photographic evidence of your reactions. Haha. Gluey fingers–still happens to me. Haha. Fruit, what can I say? Longans–eyeballs in a good way? Lolol. Yep, that pretty much covers it! I personally LOVE durian, but I grew up eating it, so I totally understand that others do not like it. Like, at all. Haha. Different strokes, ya know? 😉 Banana date cinnamon rolls <— okay, but if you don't make this on the blog, the internet will just be sad. Like, straight-up sad. UM, please tell me more about the Moving to Hawaii talk. Pleaseeeee! Gonna need to text you about that one. 😉 Meanwhile, LOVE this recipe! Mind adding this to my care package list? Muah!
You have no clue how much the thought of our collab is helping me let go of summer gracefully and embrace fall, I’m excited!!!? Although I should stowed away some of those fruity longan eyeballs in my carry on because how perfect would they be on top of a creepy cupcake? I know, I know I should’ve photographed everything. Although actually my phone was at max capacity with all the podcasts I downloaded for the plane ride that it would barely let me take any pics? Or at least that’s my story? But no it’s actually true. Anyways you are a durian lover!?! This changes everything! lol Nah actually I wish I liked it because it looks so heavenly. If only I could block out all my other senses while eating it, then I think I could handle it. Oh the cinnamon rolls are happening! Right now I’m toying with the idea of a pumpkin version perhaps? Are you going to come to hawaii with me!?! Oh please say yes, please say yes? Love ya❤️
Yes, I do… because I’m EXCITED too!!!! 🙂 I can’t wait!! Also, can you PLEASE send some of your homemade sprinkles? Lolol. I was shopping for all natural, v+gf sprinkles online and it made me dizzy. Just send me some of yours and we’re good to go! 😉 Okay, now I have to see that cupcake. Like, STAT! What podcasts do you listen to? I’m coming with ya!!!! Or are you coming with me?? ? Love ya more! ❤️ xoxo
Just you wait till I make the halloween sprinkles, then I’ll send you a big bag because I know how much you love the theme? And by big bag I mean one of those gallon sized ziplock filled to near bursting point! Oh man I listen to lots of different podcasts, but this trip I listened mostly to Food Blogger Pro Podcast. It’s one of my faves, always leaves me excited to get on the computer and try out new bloggy stuff. Hmmm well as long as we both end up in tropical paradise together the rest is just semantics? xo
I love rawnola! The Mulberry sounds so delicious Nat!
Thanks for stopping by Ashley <3
Wow, sounds like you had an amazing time!! I haven’t heard of several of those fruit before, haha! Although, I’m definitely interested in that one you said tastes like an injection of sugar, I’ll take that please!! Super cute about the kids turning themselves pink, that would have been so much fun to watch.
I’m loving these rawnola versions. I’m a huge mulberry lover. I love how naturally sweet it is and how much it resembles honey. It’s amazing stuff. You would be proud of me, I’ve been buying dates regularly now making treats and bars for Olivia. I feel so much better about her eating those and thankfully, she loves them!
So glad you had a good time and a chance to unplug for a bit!
Oh I think mamey sapote (the super sweet one) could be the perfect fruit for you! So sweet AND it tastes very reminiscent of sweet potato–it’s perfect for you ha! Knocking a few of those off my fruits-to-try bucket list was fun, although many of them surprised me. You?? Buying dates?? I am tremendously proud! Perhaps Olivia will persuade you yet 😀
WOW!!! What an amazing trip, Natalie!!! The food, unplugging, and connecting with new people. I am so glad you got to do this. In the past I’ve seen a few videos of people trying durian for the first time and I’m like, yeah I don’t think I’ll add that to my list of fruits to try ?? OMG, but banana date cinnamon rolls?!? Count me in! Those sound fantastic. Sounds like this little getaway and adventure was much needed…I wish I could have joined you!!
Ok, moving on to this rawnola…I’m super excited to try this!! The mulberries are perfect! Especially since I’m off all nuts, grains, and seeds for now – looks like I’ve found my granola replacement! Hope you’re having a great week, my friend ❤️❤️
Yes it was much needed and very much fun too! I love unplugging for the de-stress aspect but also for the wonderful renewed excitement of coming back to it all 🙂 All I need is a week long trip ever month and then I’ll never get burned out haha! Doesn’t everyone!? This was my second time trying durian…still a big no for me? But those cinnamon rolls were amazeballs! They are super easy, you and Willow should try them since you have a dehydrator. I’m going to try to figure out an oven version soon 🙂 It’s actually because I’ve been trying to do a more AIP nut-free thing that this rawnola ever happened. Gotta have my chewy nicecream topping. I saw those purple mulberries on your blog yesterday–they look so neat! Have a great weekend Mandy <3
Wow, the festival sounds amazing Natalie!!! I wish we had something like it over here. And I adore the mulberry rawnola – I totally need to try that over some nicecream <3
Well there is a UK fruit fest now, so maybe the trend is heading your way 🙂 Ah it’s so good with nicecream! But then again, what granola-ish food isn’t!
Natalie, the white mulberry addition is such a good idea! Love your recipes. Thanks for sharing! Dee xx.
I love those little fruits! I just discovered that dried purple mulberries exist too so now I’m dreaming of purple rawnola 😀 Thanks Dee!
Omg how did I miss this recap of the fruit festival?! It sounds like such an incredible experience! I’ve tried 4 of the weird fruits you mentioned woo! I still really want to try durian even though it sounds like such an intimidating fruit hahah. Maybe next year we should go to the fruit fest together! ahhhh that’d be so much fun I’d probably explode.
I also really really really want the mulberry version of this really soon!
Um YEAH!!!! That would be the most amazing time, I would do it in a heartbeat! And there would be plenty of durian for you to taste too 🙂 It’s funny because people would stash it and start eating it at random times, but you really can’t sneak it with that smell lol. How the heck have you managed to get your hands on so many unusual tropical fruits up there!? That’s surprising! Supposedly there is a place in NYC that sells lots of tropical fruits, which made me think of you. I just need to move to Hawaii already and then I could eat papayas and mamey year round 😀
Most of them I tried in Hawaii! But I did find a little Filipino grocery store here that sells some exotic fruit, which is exciting! I wish I could get my hands on a sweet sweet mamey sapote! Next time I visit Hawaii that’ll be my goal 😉