Super-seeded Hemp Heart Granola
Back in the summer I did a bit of housesitting for my aunt while she was away on holiday with her family. I was in charge of looking after the house and her two dogs: Charlie, a Rhodesian Ridgeback and Tucker, a Corgi. For the few weeks that I was there I had a pretty good routine going. My aunt lives on a golf course, so there are plenty of nice trails to walk on. Every morning after breakfast and every night after dinner Charlie, Tucker and I would set out for a nice long walk. We’d walk down to the end of the golf course and back twice each day, each walk being about four kilometres long. That ma seem like a really long walk, but it was so nice. I saw some beautiful sunrises and sunsets on that walk as well as some fantastic wildlife. I miss the warm weather and my long walks with the dogs. It’s kind of funny because I think I walked Jen’s dogs more in one summer than I’ve ever walked my own. I have no idea why that is, but it’s the truth.
Since it was just me living there, I wasn’t cooking huge meals. I was also working at the time, so some nights I was pretty tired and did not feel like cooking at all. When I don’t feel like cooking I usually eat hummus and crackers and when I don’t have that on hand I eat granola. It’s fast, easy and quite filling. Jen had a delicious granola by Nature’s Path, which I consumed for dinner more times than I care to admit, and I’ve been wanting to recreate it in my own kitchen ever since.
A Note on Hemp Hearts
I use hemp hearts all the time. I sprinkle them on my salads, smoothies, yogurt and I bake them into my granola. They are amazing little powerhouse seeds that contain two times more protein, omegas 3 and 6 than chia or flax seeds. Hemp hearts are a great source of vegan protein (10 grams per three tablespoons) as well as iron and man other vital nutrients and minerals. To summarize, hemp hearts are awesome and you should definitely think about adding some to your diet if you haven’t already.
Last month I got two bags of Manitoba Harvest‘s hemp hearts and decided that it was time that I finally tried replicating that delicious Nature’s Path granola to the best of my ability. I’ve tested and tweaked the recipe a few times to make it perfect, think clumpy, crunchy, sweet and nourishing (win!). I got the idea to pre-toast the oats from Laura Wright’s blog and cookbook, The First Mess. I’ve made three of her granola recipes and they have all been stellar. I don’t know what it is about toasting the oats before baking, but it definitely adds a more complex flavour to the final product and is well worth doing.
So if you’re looking for a new and exciting way to change up your morning routine, this may just be it.
xx
Ashley
Ingredients
- 4 cups gluten free oats
- 1/2 cup hemp hearts
- 1/3 cup flax seeds
- 1/2 cup brown rice flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup brown rice syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Toast the oats for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 325ºF.
- In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients and stir well.
- In a small saucepan, melt the oil, then add the remaining wet ingredients. Cook over medium-low heat until the mixture is homogenous and just beginning to bubble. Remove from the heat and pour over the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon and mix until the wet is full incorporated into the dry.
- Transfer the granola to the prepared baking sheet and spread it out evenly. Lightly wet your hands and use them to gently press down the mixture. Pop it in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, flipping the granola halfway, then every 10 minutes after that.
- Allow the granola to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container or jar. The granola will keep for up to a month.
