RECIPE: Crunchy Granola

Recipe via Meg Gillmer – The Wholesome Athlete

Breakfast is surely a favourite time for me and I love starting the day with something nourishing. Store-bought cereals are often devoid of nutrients and full of sugar. Most of the time the ingredients are hardly recognisable. The quinoa in this cereal is a complete protein, and there are lots of vitamins from the seeds and good fats in the nuts. This recipe is a staple in my house. I make a batch over the weekend, ready for the busy working week. I like to serve it with fresh berries and almond milk or layer it with yoghurt and fruit in containers for a breakfast-on-the-go option.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

2.5 cups rolled oats (I use certified Gluten Free)

1 cup quinoa, soaked*

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup chopped nuts, chopped

1 cup cranberries


Wet Ingredients 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons honey or rice malt syrup

2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses

1/2 cup apple sauce (organic, unsweetened)

Method

Preheat oven to 150C.

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well.

Stir together all wet ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir until well coated.

Spread the granola on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes being careful to stir and turn it over every 10 minutes or so to provide even toasting.

Allow to cool completely then store in an airtight container.

* Soaking Quinoa

Place 1 cup quinoa in a glass bowl with 1 cup warm water. Leave for 12 hours then strain the quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse well, until the water runs clear. Make sure you thoroughly rinse the quinoa, otherwise it can be bitter. If you’re desperate to make this and you just can’t wait overnight for the soaked quinoa, simply rinse as instructed above and continue with the recipe.