Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Grains and Seeds
- 200 g rolled oats
- 150 g rolled spelt
- 50 g raw amaranth
- 50 g raw teff
- 100 g pumpkin seeds
- 100 g chopped almonds
- 5 g fine sea salt
- 3 g ground cinnamon
Wet Binding Mixture
- 120 ml honey
- 80 ml olive oil
- 10 ml vanilla extract
Finishing
- 75 g dried tart cherries
- 75 g dried apricots, chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 15 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 10 g
- Sodium
- 104 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 177 mg
- Calcium
- 42 mg
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 52 mg
- Phosphorus
- 105 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 44 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 31 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.08 mg
- Niacin
- 0.8 mg
- Folate
- 9 mcg
- Water
- 12 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, rolled spelt, amaranth, teff, pumpkin seeds, chopped almonds, fine sea salt, and ground cinnamon.
In a small saucepan, gently warm the honey and olive oil over low heat until fluid and easily pourable. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla extract, and pour the liquid over the dry ingredients. Toss thoroughly with a spatula until every grain is evenly coated.
Spread the granola mixture evenly onto the prepared baking sheet. Using your spatula, press the mixture down firmly into a single, compact layer. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until deeply golden brown.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the granola to cool completely on the pan for at least 1 hour. Do not stir it while it cools; this allows the sugars to crystallize and form large clusters.
Once completely cooled and crisp, break the granola sheet into bite-sized clusters. Fold in the dried tart cherries and chopped dried apricots.
Chef's Notes
- Amaranth and teff provide an incredible crunchy texture and are nutritional powerhouses, but their small size means they cook faster. Baking at a lower temperature of 150C prevents them from burning.
- Salt is absolutely crucial in granola. The prominent sweet and salty contrast elevates the deep, nutty flavors of the ancient grains and balances the sweetness of the dried fruit.
- Always add dried fruit after the granola has baked and cooled. Baking dried fruit turns it into rock-hard, unchewable pieces.
- For exceptionally large, cafe-style clusters, you can gently pulse one-third of the rolled oats in a food processor before mixing. The oat dust acts as a binder.
Storage
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in heavy-duty bags; thaw at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.
Troubleshooting
Granola lacks large clusters and is too loose
Cause: The mixture was stirred while cooling or not pressed firmly enough into the pan before baking
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Press the raw mixture firmly down with a spatula before baking and leave the pan completely undisturbed while it cools
Tiny grains (teff, amaranth) fall to the bottom and burn
Cause: Insufficient coating with the wet ingredients or uneven mixing
Fix: Scoop out unburnt top layers immediately; discard scorched bottom dust
Prevention: Ensure the wet mixture is warmed to a highly fluid state and toss the grains meticulously until perfectly coated
Cultural Context
Granola has roots in the 19th-century American health movement, originally known as granula. Modern iterations have evolved significantly to incorporate ancient grains from around the world, such as Ethiopian teff and Mesoamerican amaranth, reflecting a global approach to wholesome, nutrient-dense breakfasts.
