I have been wanting to try out some granola cluster recipes for a while now. I see them in the shops and they always look so yummy, but they are also heavily over priced and usually loaded with sugar and grains.
Whilst it is quite easy to make a loose, crumbly granola, but I wanted the granola to stick together in little clusters so you can eat them as a snack, or have them as a breakfast cereal. These Cacao Granola Clusters seem to tick all the boxes.
Researching recipes showed that you could use a variety of ingredients to make them stick. Some used egg whites, some used nut butters, others used syrups.
In this recipe I used bananas! I didn’t like to idea of egg in my cereal. There is already so many nuts in the granola, to add nut butters seemed a little excessive. Ant i don’t really need to explain why I wasn’t too keen on adding in syrups to bind the granola.
Mashed banana turned out to be the perfect binder. It provides the recipe with a little carbohydrate to balance out the fat and protein from the nuts. It also adds a little natural sweetness that is needed for this type of food.
This recipe is really easy to make. Cook up a large batch and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It should keep fresh for months. It is great as a breakfast with yoghurt and berries, or eaten by itself as a snack. You can mix up the nut and seed combination to suit your liking. You could even add a little dried fruit such as cranberries or shredded coconut to it. Use this recipe as your granola cluster base and mix up the ingredients for variety and to suit your tastes.
- 1/2 C almond
- 1/2 C cashews
- 1/2 C walnuts
- 1/2 C hazelnuts
- 1/4 C sunflower seeds
- 1/4 C pepitas
- 1/2 C desiccated coconut
- 1 banana
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbs cacao powder
- 1 Tbs coconut oil
- 1 Tbs date syrup (you can use honey or maple syrup)
- Pre heat the oven to 180
- Place the nuts and seeds on a chopping board and roughly chop them. Alternatively you can place them in the food processor and chop for a few seconds. You want them to be still chunky.
- Combine together the mashed banana, oil, syrup, cinnamon, vanilla and cacao power.
- Stir to combine.
- Add the nut mixture and stir until it is well coated.
- Spread the mixture out onto a lined baking tray and press it out into a even layer across the tray.
- Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Keep and eye on it as it can quickly turn from perfect to burnt.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool.
- Once cooled, use your hands to break it into chunks.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.