Maple Goldenberry Granola
Granola is one of my favorite breakfast foods. Period. But sometimes it's so loaded with sugar, it might as well be a dessert. Add to that the fact that my mouth swells up when I eat oats, and well, you're pretty much left with just nuts and cinnamon. After some experimentation born out of desperation, it turns out that sweet plantain chips make an excellent substitute for oats when crunched up. Not only is this recipe so. much. cheaper. than granola that you'd buy in store, but you can easily swap in your favorite things to customize it to your cereal bowl—grain-free or not.
Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 35 minutes, Yield: 12 cups
3 cups sweet plaintain chips, crushed into pieces
2 ½ cups dried, unsweetened coconut flakes
2 cups dried, unsweetened coconut shreds
1 cup whole raw walnuts, roughly chopped
½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
½ cup raw sunflower seeds
½ cup raw hemp seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
¾ cup maple syrup
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup dried goldenberries
½ cup unsweetened dried cherries
Preheat oven to 300°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicon mat and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine plantain chips, coconut flakes and shreds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, cinnamon, and sea salt. Stir with a spatula to ensure all dry ingredients are well combined.
Add vanilla, maple syrup, and olive oil to your dry mix. Stir until evenly combined and very well coated.
Divide the mixture evenly between the two baking sheets, ensuring that it is spread out into a flat layer. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven and stir. Rotate your baking sheets onto different racks and bake for another 15 minutes. Stir once more and bake for 5 more minutes. The coconut chips should be golden brown, and your house should smell uh-mazing.
Once the granola is cooled, return it to the bowl you used to mix it, and add the goldenberries and dried cherries. Stir until they are well distributed throughout the entire mix.
Store the granola in jars or glass containers once it is completely cooled. It will last up to 6 weeks, but it's never made it past 2 weeks in my house!
Note: This is great as part of a breakfast parfait with yogurt or chia pudding and a tasty fruity compote. Strawberry rhubarb is my fave.
Allergens: Nuts, Sesame
Source: Inspired by Amy Chaplin's "Cherry Coconut Granola"
