Buckwheat Gingerbread Granola with Goji Berries & Crystalized Ginger

Recipe by Elise Museles.

Nothing smells cozier than the scent of gingerbread! This flavorful granola version is sweetened with molasses and combined all the flavors of your favorite holiday treat. The buckwheat is a fruit seed and not a grain despite its name. It adds crunch and an extra dose of fiber, too! Toss it all together with crystalized ginger and goji berries for a nutrient-dense dish to add to yogurt, smoothie bowls, parfaits, or enjoy by the handful!

INGREDIENTS

For cashew butter

• 2 cups (300g) cashews
• 1/8 teaspoon Pink Himalayan salt (optional)

For granola

• ½ cup cashew butter made with the NutraMilk
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• ⅓ cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2½ cups rolled oats (gluten-free if necessary)
• ¾ cup buckwheat groats
• 1¼ cups pecans, roughly chopped
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup goji berries (reserve until the Can substitute dried cranberries.)
• ½ cup crystalized ginger, cut into small cubes (reserve until the end)

INSTRUCTIONS

• First, making cashew butter
  • Place cashews and salt in the NutraMilk container.
  • Press Butter cycle, set for 5-6 minutes.
  • Press Start.
  • Open the container lid.
  • If necessary, set for an additional 1-2 minutes for a creamier butter.
  • Set ½ cup aside for the recipe and store the rest for later use.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• In a small saucepan, gently heat the cashew butter and coconut oil. Remove from the stove when the mixture becomes liquefied. Once slightly cooled, add in the maple syrup, molasses, and vanilla.
• In a separate large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients (oats, buckwheat, pecans, pumpkin seeds, and sea salt). Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir until evenly coated.
• Spread in a single layer on one or two parchment-lined baking sheets and press down with a spatula. Bake in the oven for 22-25 minutes, stirring once after 15 minutes. For clumpier granola, only lightly stir with a wooden spoon. Remove from the oven when slightly browned. Ovens vary so watch closely to make sure it doesn't burn. Allow granola to cool and crisp up. Once cooled, add the goji berries and crystalized ginger.Store in an airtight container for up to a week. Enjoy!