Nutty Quinoa Granola

It’s the last and final day of VeganMoFo, the Vegan Month of Food! This month, I’ve cooked up some great new dishes that became quick favorites, like warm, comforting Barley Brown Rice Risotto and the surprisingly good Basil Apple Mustard Panini. But I also revisited a few old friends like Mushroom Barley Soup and Raw Chia Oat Pudding, which will forever be staples in my kitchen.So, what better way to end this particular month of food than by combining something old with something new?

The old is granola. I make granola all the time, but I usually make it the same way, more or less. I might add in a different type of nut, or change the quantity of coconut flakes, but it’s always basically the same. Except this batch. This batch is something completely new and different because it’s full of quinoa!

You know quinoa, right? Quinoa (pronounced “keen-WAH”) is a protein-packed ancient grain. In fact, it’s a complete protein, which means it naturally contains all of the essential amino acids. Plus, it’s tasty and really versatile. You may have seen (or eaten) quinoa cooked and used in a dish where rice or even couscous might usually appear. Undoubtedly, that’s the most common quinoa application, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

I just felt like doing something different.

Once I got the quinoa-granola idea in my head, I knew I wanted to make something where quinoa was really the star. To get some ideas, I cruised around the interwebs and found Hungry Hungry Hippie, whose website is full of fresh and mostly vegan recipes. Herquinoa granola was the perfect inspiration for my nuttier, crunchier version.

Quinoa Granola
Yield: About 5 cups

1 cup oats
1/2 cup quinoa
1/3 cup amaranth seeds (or more quinoa)
2 Tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup raw, unsalted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1/4 cup raw, unsalted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup dried blueberries
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 300°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine oats, grains, nuts and berries in a large bowl and stir until well combined.
In a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup, coconut oil, cinnamon and salt.
Pour liquids over the granola mixture and stir gently until coated. (I like to use a spatula and “fold” the mixture together.)
Spread in an even layer on the baking sheet and bake 60-75 minutes, stirring every 20-25 minutes.
Allow to cool completely on baking sheet before transferring to an airtight container.