Tag: breakfast

Basic Buckwheat Granola

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This granola recipe is a standard go-to recipe with countless variations. It has only a hint of maple syrup for sweetness and uses applesauce for added moisture without relying on additional sugar or oil. I love using a fruity, medium-intensity extra virgin olive oil or virgin coconut oil as a main flavor agent,  along with a dark maple syrup, rather than having these ingredients in the background. The spices, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit you use can be totally up to you. 

Basic Buckwheat Granola

You’ll want it to sprinkle it on everything, eat it on its own, and will soon become a staple.

Basic Buckwheat Granola

  • Servings: about 12 servings
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2 1/2 cups buckwheat groats (not kasha)
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dried large-flaked unsweetened coconut (see Notes)
6 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (see Notes)
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (see Notes)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine sea or Himalayan salt

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Put the buckwheat groats, pecans, walnuts, and coconut in a large bowl. Put the applesauce, olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a medium glass measuring cup. Mix to combine. Pour the mixture over the buckwheat mixture. Stir until well mixed.

Spread the mixture in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes, then stir the mixture. Bake for another 15 to 25 minutes, until the mixture is dry to the touch. The granola will firm as it cools. Let cool completely, and store in an airtight container.

Basic Buckwheat Granola 2

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Liquid Apple Pie Smoothie

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Bananas all too often make their way as the base of smoothies. Berries are a close second, along with mango. This version uses local apples as its base, then adds apple pie spices which makes breakfast taste like dessert (and you can’t taste the kale).

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Liquid Apple Pie Smoothie

1 medium sweet apple
1 large handful of chopped kale, just the leaves
6 to 10 fresh honey dates (see Notes)
1 heaping tablespoon (15 ml) roasted cashew butter
1/2 cup (120 ml) homemade unsweetened applesauce (see Notes)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon (3 ml) ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) ground nutmeg
1/2 cup to 1 cup (120 ml to 240 ml) unsweetened plain or vanilla nondairy milk

Blend all ingredients together, adding nondairy milk to achieve desired consistency, until smooth. Serve cold.

Notes: You can add honey dates to the desired sweetness that you’d like. If you’re using sweetened applesauce or nondairy milk, you might want to omit them altogether.

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Maple Apple Buckwheat Breakfast Casserole

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This breakfast casserole highlights the simplicity of basic ingredients. Definitely opt for a good quality maple syrup (dark preferred) and baking apples–my favourite are Mutsu.

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Maple-Apple Buckwheat Breakfast Casserole

2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Creamy Buckwheat (a pantry favourite–does it a devoted post?)
1 1/2 cups raisins
2 sweet tart apples, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup pure maple syrup, plus more for serving (I like the dark stuff)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus a bit more
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon fine sea or Himalayan salt
2 cups unsweetened plain or vanilla nondairy milk (such as So Delicious or Almond Breeze)
1/2 cup toasted pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

In a 8-cup capacity casserole dish (an 8-inch square glass one will work great), layer a third of the buckwheat. Top with half of the raisins, half of the apples, and another 1/3 of the buckwheat. Follow with the rest of the apples, the maple syrup, then half of the cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. You can eyeball these amounts. It doesn’t have to be half exactly.

Pour half of the nondairy milk over the layers. Add the rest of the raisins, buckwheat, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Top with pecans, and sprinkle with additional cinnamon. Top with the remaining nondairy milk.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the apples are tender. Let cool to room temperature, and serve with additional maple syrup.