Mexican Granola with Cocao Nibs and Pumpkin Seeds
Clumpy Mexican granola with cocoa nibs and pumpkins! A salty and naturally sweetened healthy granola, inspired by Rick Bayless, that is packed with texture and delicious add-ins, including coconut, peanuts, puffed amaranth, and cinnamon.
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup puffed amaranth (roughly 2-3 tablespoons raw amaranth) see note section for directions
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ¼ cup raw or dry-roasted peanuts roughly chopped
- ¼ cup raw or roasted pumpkin seeds
- 2 tablespoons cocao nibs
- 1 tablespoon shelled hemp seeds optional
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons pure honey
- ¼ cup (60 mL) grapeseed or avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg white beaten
- ¼ cup golden or regular raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (162°C) with a rack in the center position. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Note: If you are puffing your own raw amaranth for this recipe (it is not difficult, but it does take some trial and error to do properly), I highly recommend reading the note section below and this how-to post beforehand. It goes over the process in greater detail.
- Combine the puffed amaranth, oats, unsweetened coconut, chopped peanuts, pumpkin seeds, cocao nibs, and hemp seeds (if using) in a large mixing bowl. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, honey, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until smooth. Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients and toss until evenly coated.
- In a separate bowl, using a large whisk, beat the egg white until foamy and frothy. Add the beaten egg white to the granola mixture and mix gently (the protein the egg white will help bind some of the granola together, giving you clumps). Transfer the granola onto the lined baking sheet, and spread into an even, thin layer. Press the granola down with the palms of your hands.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Allow the granola to cool completely on a cooling rack before breaking into clusters. Gently toss in the golden raisins. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.
How to Puff Amaranth:
- Buy extra raw amaranth, because you may need to toss the first few batches. You can puff the amaranth ahead of time and keep it in a airtight container as well. If you do not wish to puff your own amaranth for this recipe, you can substitute puffed millet cereal or leave it out entirely.
- How to Puff Raw Amaranth: If you are using a gas stovetop, place a medium sauce pan over very high heat. It is ready when you add a few drops of water and they immediately dance and evaporate across the surface of the pan. Add one tablespoon of amaranth at a time, cover the pot immediately, and start to shake the pan back and forth across the burner (the amaranth should audibly start to pop within seconds; if it does not, your pan was not hot enough and your amaranth will most likely burn before it can pop properly). The amaranth should fully pop within 10 to 15 seconds, remove when the popping noise starts to slow down, and immediately place the puffed amaranth in a bowl. Most of the amaranth should be fully popped, but if some are not, you can still use them. If they are burned, discard and keep practicing – it took me at least 3 to 4 trial runs before I started to see good results. Continue until you have roughly 1/2 cup of puffed amaranth.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 181kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 12mg, Sodium: 80mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 11g