Makes Twelve Cups
Alive with enzymes, great nutrition and outstanding flavor, this granola will quickly become a favorite staple for a quick snack when on the run or a morning get-me-going breakfast cereal served with Almond Goji Mylk (see May 2009 posting). Apple Walnut Granola is sweetened with apple, pear and a little coconut palm sugar. Cinnamon is added to bring out the sweet nature of the other ingredients and balance blood sugar levels. Ginger powder, which has no resemblance to fresh ginger in taste, adds a little spark.
To the Chef: Apple Walnut Granola takes some early preparation so start sprouting the buckwheat 3 days before you are ready to make this special treat. The nuts need to soaked 12 to 24 hours and the sunflower seeds for 6 to 12 hours. Dehydrating will take 6 to 8 hours. Purchase true cinnamon which is also called Ceylon cinnamon and use only an organic ginger powder without preservatives.
Buckwheat Sprouts
1 cup raw unhulled buckwheat
Dry Mixture
3cups dried shredded coconut, unsweetened
2 cups raw walnuts, almonds or other nuts, soaked 12 to 24 hours, drain & rinse
1 cup raw sunflower seeds, soaked 6 to 12 hours, drain & rinse
1 cup currants or dried blueberries
1 cup mesquite powder, optional
½ cup coconut palm sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon powder
2 tablespoons ginger powder
1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt or other full spectrum salt
4 Granny Smith apples, grated large
2 pear or more apples, grated large
Wet Mixture
2cups purified water
½ cup golden flax seeds, ground
½ cup coconut oil, softened
Buckwheat Sprouts
In a wide mouth quart mason jar, put the buckwheat and cover generously with purified water. Secure a screen or cheese cloth over the mouth of the jar using a rubber band or metal canning ring. Let soak 6 to 12 hours. Discard soaking water and rinse buckwheat until water is runs clear. Put the jar on a 45º angle in your dish drainer or other convenient place so it can drain further and get plenty of air. Cover with a cloth so it is out of the light. Rinse, drain and return to a 45º angle twice a day until the sprout tails are about the same length as a single grain of buckwheat, about 2 days.
Dry Mixture
In a large mixing bowl, put all the ingredients under Dry Mixture and stir together.
Wet Mixture (instructions are different for high speed blender & home blender, both included)
In a high speed blender, put all the ingredients under Wet Mixture and blend until smooth. If using a home blender, grind the flax seeds in a spice or coffee grinder first then blend with other ingredients.
Combine Wet & Dry Ingredients
Pour the Wet Mixture into the Dry Mixture and stir to combine well.
Dehydrate
On a dehydrator tray covered with a teflex sheet or natural kitchen parchment paper, spread the granola mixture evenly to slightly more than 1/8-inch thick. Repeat until all the mixture is used. If using an Excalibur dehydrator, measure 3 cups of granola mixture per tray. You will need about 3 trays total.
Put the trays of granola in the dehydrator and dehydrate at 145ºFfor 2 hours. Turn dehydrator down to 115ºF and continue to dehydrate until the granola pulls away easily from the teflex sheet or parchment (in other words, when you lift the granola it’s underside is not sticky), about 3 hours. Remove the granola from the teflex sheets or parchment and put it on the mesh screens that came with the dehydrator. Dehydrate until very dry and crunchy, about 2 more hours.
Serving Ideas
Serve Apple Walnut Granola as a morning breakfast cereal with Almond Goji Mylk or other mylks, enjoy as a quick energy snack when on the trail or on the go and serve as a treat or dessert like you would a cookie. Shards of Apple Walnut Granola can be served standing-up in a raw dessert mousse.
How to Store
Let the granola cool completely then immediately put it into a large jar or several smaller jars and fasten on the lid. If left out on your counter too long it will rehydrate and you may have to put it back into dehydrator before storing. Store in a dark cool part of your kitchen. Apple Walnut Granola will keep for several months if dehydrated properly (meaning all the moisture was removed).