GRRR-EAT Granola!

Na na na  Nola

My dehydrator has been very busy the last few days as I load up on non-perishables yummies for an upcoming 5 day kayak trip. Don't have a dehydrator? If you live in a warmish place, you can make and use this awesome sun dryer. I know for a fact it works in say Arkansas. You'll use zero electricity and it is really cool to see the sun make your food! You can also use your oven on a low temp and just bake this. That might impart a fabulous toasted nut flavor! I haven't tried it like that with this particular recipe.

My cousin was very curious about how I make granola at home. There are many ways!

I adapted this recipe from a book I have called Raw Food Real World by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis It is NO fail and the combo of vanilla, maple, orange and cranberry is gourmet!

I follow the recipe pretty closely, adding 1/2 cup of sprouted buckwheat, omitting the lemon, reducing the Maple Syrup to 1/4 cup (vs 1/2) and the salt to 1 tsp (vs 2 tsp)

Don't you want to pick off that almond!?

Maple Cranberry Granola

1-3 Apples
1 1/2 Cup Date Paste (about 6 medjools pitted, soaked, processed into paste)
1/4 C Maple Syrup
2 Tbs Orange Zest (important! I used a Minneola to zest)
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
1 Tbs Vanilla
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Salt
1/2 C Sunflower Seeds (soaked 2 hrs or so)
1 1/2 C Almonds (soaked overnight)
1 C Pecans (soaked for 2 hours)
1 C Pumpkin Seeds (soaked for 2 hours)
1 C Dried Cranberries

So, there is a little prep work involving soak time. After that, it's E A S Y!
Process the dates, add the Maple Syrup, Spices, Zest, then pour the rest of the ingredients into the food processor, PULSE and stir/check for consistency often. You don't want it total mush, but not too many big chunks.. just think granola!

Spread/drop onto smooth dehydrator trays. Let dry at 104 overnight, then remove from the smooth trays and place onto the mesh. At this point you can break up the pieces a bit. Dehydrate another couple hours or until crisp to your liking. This particular recipe is not cereal crunchy, but more like a chewy granola bar. Delicious! Enjoy!

I had a lot of almond pulp that needed to get used before my trip.. so I invented a granola, which is more like cereal, really crunchy! I guess it's not much different than most almond pulp granolas I make, except maybe it doesn't have a zillion ingredients. It tried going for a walnut raisin theme.. and of course I couldn't help but add on to that. I cannot stop eating it!  I wasn't so optimistic while tasting the batter, but it turned out amazing. My new favorite for sure.

Nutty

Nutter

Jo's Almond Cookie Crunch
2 C Almond Pulp
1/2 C Buckwheat (sprouted)
1/3 C Soaked Walnuts
1/4 C Raisins
1/8 C Goji Berries
1/4 C Shredded Coconut
2 Tbs Maple Syrup
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 Tbs Vanilla
1/4 tsp Salt
2 1/2 Tbs Flax meal
4 Tbs Water

Just pulse together in food processor, spread on trays as in the recipe above. It is SO crunchy! The raisins, cinnamon and salt make it taste like an oatmeal cookie. This batch is seriously not making it into the dry bag for my trip :( I'm making more tomorrow! haha I've had it on chia pudding, as cereal and as an all day munchie. Enjoy!

Gettin' Hungry?