Granola is one American term I love! It sounds so much more enticing than muesli doesn't it? And so much easier to write on the shopping list too. Go on, admit it, you've struggled spelling muesli more than once. Your pen hesitates, even just momentarily....
Breakfast most days for me is chia pudding. I mix it up with the toppings and fruits, depending on the season, my current mood, the stock in my pantry. There always has to be something crunchy though, as to me chia pudding without anything crunchy or chewy is, well, too much like baby food for my liking.
I've always loved muesli. The different textures, the crunch, the cinnamon. Growing up I used to love muesli with yoghurt and berries. No milk, just as is. The last few months I've been making Cacao Granola by Naomi Sherman. It's nostalgic, reminiscent of Coco Pops and feels naughty although it's healthy! For an every day breakfast, I like the spices of this granola and keep the Cacao version for days when I need a little decadence.
You could use desiccated coconut but I think the texture is much nicer with shredded coconut. Try to use organic coconut if possible to avoid the sulphites. These are things I keep in my pantry, and this granola is honestly so quick and easy to throw together you won't go back to shop bought versions again!
The ingredients below are just a rough guideline. If you keep to the quantities but mix what you put in, this will work.
Recipe inspired by Naomi Sherman's Cacao Granola
Ingredients:
2 cups puffed buckwheat (or puffed quinoa/rice, oats)
1 cup buckwheat groats (aka Buckinis/activated buckwheat)
1 cup pepitas (or sunflower seeds)
1 cup organic shredded coconut
1 cup nuts of your choice (I used pecans)
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/4 cup tahini
4 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp flax seeds
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp maple syrup (or sweetener of choice, more or less depending on your taste)
1-2 tsp cinnamon (I love a lot of cinnamon)
1 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
Zest of 1 lemon
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 150C
2. Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl
3. Melt the coconut oil, tahini and maple syrup together in a small saucepan
4. Once the coconut oil is melted, pour over the dry ingredients and mix until coated
5. Pour the mix out evenly onto a lined baking tray and bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally
Note: As Naomi says in her recipe, if you think the granola needs another 5 minutes to get it crunchy, it doesn't! As the mix cools down the magic happens and the crunchiness reveals itself in all it's delicious glory
Variations:
If you want to add dried fruit, mix it through as the granola is cooling so it picks up the flavours but doesn't get dried out and tough in the oven
Change up the spices. Vanilla is delicious, as is ginger, nutmeg and all spice. Or even go for savoury spices such as cumin or smoked paprika!
Change the lemon zest for orange zest
Add in mesquite, mushroom powder, lacuma or protein powder
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