Homemade granola has never been easier. This crunchy barley granola is made with just 7 ingredients and takes a whole of 35 minutes — start to finish! Oh yeah, and there’s chocolate in it, delicious organic dark chocolate! Oh yeah. YUuuum! How’s that for some tasty breakfast love. And best part is, it’s also healthy and protein-packed. You can thank almonds and buckwheat groats for that AND they also give it a fantastic crunch. Some seriously tasty crunch. Yay for crunchy barley granola! Plus, it’s naturally sweetened with mascabado raw cane sugar and maple syrup… and it’s vegan because I also use coconut oil.
Barley is a locally produced super food
Did you know that the dietary fiber in barley is high in beta glucan? Okay, first what is beta glucan, right? It is a soluble fiber that activates the most important immune cells in our body which in turn stimulates the immune system, promotes digestion, has cholesterol and blood sugar lowering effects and reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer. No other food contains more beta-glucan than barley, and the important thing is that the beta-glucans in barley are found throughout the entire kernel, whereas in most other grains, they’re concentrated in the outer bran layer, meaning they can easily be lost in processing. Seriously good stuff, and worth incorporating into your diet. And if you haven’t already tried barley flakes in place of oats in your morning porridge, definitely give it a try (or go for a multi-grain version). So good!
Crunchy Barley Granola with Almonds and Dark Chocolate
Ingredients
- 2 cups barley flakes (240 g)
- 1/2 cup uncooked buckwheat groats (100 g)
- 1 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped (150 g)
- 1 tablespoon mascabado raw cane sugar, alternatively use coconut sugar
- pinch sea salt
- 3 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (60 ml)
- 70 g dark chocolate, chopped (70% cacao)
Method
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Preheat the oven to 340°F / 170°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Add barley flakes, buckwheat, almonds, sugar, and salt to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
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In a small saucepan, combine the coconut oil and maple syrup. Warm over medium heat, whisking frequently until the two are completely incorporated (about 2-3 minutes).
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Immediately add the mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to combine until everything is thoroughly coated.
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Spread the mixture evenly on the lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes in the middle rack of the oven. Remove from oven and stir/toss the granola. Turn the pan around so the other end goes into the oven first. This helps it bake evenly. Bake for 5-10 minutes more, keeping a watchful eye to ensure it does not burn. The granola done when it has a fragrant smell and is golden brown.
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Remove from the oven and add the chopped dark chocolate. Toss to combine (this lets it melt and coat the granola). Alternatively, let the granola cool completely before tossing with the chocolate.
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Let the granola fully cool in the tray before stowing away in an airtight container. It should keep for 2-3 weeks.
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Enjoy for breakfast with yoghurt or sprinkled on porridge.
Notes
There are a few different ways to make this recipe. Sometimes I add the chocolate at the beginning and bake it along with the granola, other times, I add it at the end and toss it to have it melt over the granola, and when I feel like just having bits of dark chocolate chunks then I add it to the granola once it has cooled.
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