This buckwheat cacao granola goes great in a breakfast parfait or cold milk as a cereal. Cacao and coconut nectar instead of processed chocolate and refined sugar make this recipe healthier than your typical chocolate-flavored granola and cereal you find in your grocery store!
Jump to: Story | What is it? | Benefits | Nutrient Density | Tips | Variations | Similar Recipes
The Story Behind This Buckwheat Cacao Granola
When I was a young girl, my mom used to buy cereal in those boxes that had the cool stuff to read on the packages, and sometimes if I were lucky, there would be a prize too. Little did I know that the box’s side panel contained the essential information I needed to know: how much sugar there was in one serving! Eventually, we stopped eating boxed cereal once we figured out how unhealthy it was.
However, I still fondly think about my Saturday morning reading sessions with the bowl of cold milk and crunchy, sweet cereal. Chocolate was usually my favorite cereal, so I knew I had to include cacao, the closest to real raw chocolate you can get. I also wanted something crunchy in texture, and buckwheat groats roasted in the oven are the perfect culprit for this. Next, I needed to figure out how to add sweetness without adding too much. Not only is the overall recipe healthier, but the depth of flavor from the cacao doesn’t get lost from an overpowering sweetness (like most chocolatey cereals). Not a milk and cereal person? Try making a parfait with your favorite yogurt and fruit!
What is it?
This recipe is naturally gluten-free and refined sugar-free. Buckwheat isn’t technically a grain but a pseudocereal. A pseudocereal is from a plant that produces fruits and seeds used as flour but is not of the grass family. The other main ingredient in this recipe is cacao nibs which are small pieces of crushed cacao beans that are bitter in flavor. After farmers harvest the beans, they dry, ferment, and crack them to make small pieces. The primary sweetener for this recipe is coconut nectar. It’s the sap from the flowers of the coconut tree. (Coconut sugar is dehydrated, granulated coconut nectar.) Coconut nectar adds an excellent depth of flavor without over-sweetening the granola. It also goes well with the bitter taste of chocolate.
Why This Buckwheat Cacao Granola Is Healthy For You
If you are avoiding gluten for health reasons, then this recipe is definitely for you. Buckwheat is an excellent source of protein and complex carbohydrates. It’s also great for digestive health since buckwheat is a good source of fiber and niacin. Cacao nibs are highly nutrient-dense, providing impressive protein, fiber, minerals, and plant compounds like flavonoids. Flavonoids are rich in antioxidants that help your body protect itself from everyday toxins. Coconut nectar has a significantly lower glycemic index than regular table sugar, making this recipe a good option for when you want something sweet without the sugar high.
How To Make this Buckwheat Cacao Granola Nutrient-Dense
- Use sprouted buckwheat groats and chia seeds: Grains and seeds contain an organic compound called phytic acid. Phytic acid prevents the absorption of several vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, and B vitamins. Studies show that sprouting can reduce phytic acid, therefore making sprouted grains and seeds healthier to consume.
Tips
- Add freeze-dried fruit once the granola is cooled down. Freeze-dried fruit is a great way to easily add more flavor, fiber, and sweetness without adding refined sugar. I love adding freeze-dried raspberries, but any freeze-dried berries will work. Adding freeze-dried fruit to the granola and storing it in a glass jar is also a great way to ensure that you can have a quick breakfast.
Variations
- Experiment with this recipe by adding more spices besides cinnamon. Freshly ground cardamom or dried ginger powder would go great in this recipe.
- Feel free to use dairy or dairy-free milk or yogurt when serving this granola. My favorite way to eat this granola is with my homemade coconut yogurt.
Other breakfast recipes to try
Buckwheat Cacao Granola
Equipment
- Sheet Pan
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 3 cups buckwheat groats
- 1/3 cup chia seeds
- 1/3 cup raw cacao nibs
- 1/4 cup coconut nectar
- 1/3 cup extra virgin coconut oil (melted)
- 1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together all the ingredients until thoroughly.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spread the mixture as evenly as possible on the pan.
- Bake in the oven (preferably on the middle rack) for 7 to 10 minutes (depending on your oven) until crispy (be careful not to burn the ingredients).
- Take out the sheet pan from the oven and flip over the granola on the other side.
- Place back in the oven and bake for another 7 to 10 minutes.
- Take the granola out of the oven and let it cool down to room temperature.
- Serve the granola right away, or save it in a mason jar to have throughout the week or month. This crispy granola goes well with yogurt or cold milk with a fruit of choice!
Notes
- Add freeze-dried fruit once the granola is cooled down. Freeze-dried fruit is a great way to easily add more flavor, fiber, and sweetness without adding refined sugar. I love adding freeze-dried raspberries, but any freeze-dried berries will work. Adding freeze-dried fruit to the granola and storing it in a glass jar is also a great way to ensure that you can have a quick breakfast.
- Experiment with this recipe by adding more spices besides cinnamon. Freshly ground cardamom or dried ginger powder would go great in this recipe.
- Feel free to use dairy or dairy-free milk or yogurt when serving this granola. My favorite way to eat this granola is with my homemade coconut yogurt.
gluten-free, granola, refined sugar-free, vegan, vegetarian