Oats come in many forms, flakes (quick), rolled (old-fashioned) steel cut or whole and are one of the most popular grains used in breakfast mixes, puddings, breads, dessert toppings and health bars. Oats have both insoluble and soluble fibre and some resistant starch. Insoluble being great for bulking stool and the soluble fibre, popularly known for it's 'bad' cholesterol lowering benefits due to a special soluble fibre known as “beta-glucan“. Beta-glucan in whole oats has been studied to remove saturated fats from the blood and thus reducing the risk for heart disease. From a medicinal perspective, this soluble fibre in whole oats also acts like a prebiotic fibre for the colon and assists in the health of the gut lining and overall immunity by producing "butyrate“.
Oats have been known to restore nervous and reproductive systems, strengthen cardiac muscles; renew bones and connective tissue due to high silicon content and assist brain and nerve formation during youth (due to its phosphorus content). Lastly, oats boast a healthy supply of B vitamins. B vitamins are required for protein, fat, carbohydrate metabolism and energy production.
This recipe uses large rolled oat flakes and makes a tasty base granola recipe that can easily be personalized with you favourite flavourings. Once you have the base made, and it is completely cooled, add your favourite dried fruits and seeds. Examples include: dried cranberries, raisins, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, shredded coconut, mulberries, goji berries golden berries and more!
Ginger Cashew Granola
Preparation: 15 minutes Bake: 20-30 minutes
Servings: 8
Preheat: 350F
Ingredients:
4 cups of rolled oats, large flake
1 cup raw cashews
1 tsp of ground cinnamon
1 tbsp of dehydrated ginger or 1 tsp of ground ginger powder
1/4 tsp of ground cardamon
1/2 tsp of sea salt
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1/4 cup of unsweetened apple sauce
1/8 cup of coconut oil
1/4 cup of maple syrup
1/4 cup of shredded coconut, optional, add at the last 5-6 minutes of bake to toast the flakes
Preparation:
in a nut grinder, chop the nuts till chunky; remove 1/2 cup and grind remaining nuts to a finer consistency
In a large bowl mix oats,spices and nuts
make a well in the centre and add the wet ingredients
stir till well combined (or hand massage- you will get a better sense if you need more oil or it’s just right. The oats should not feel dry.
on a large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, spread the flavoured oats evenly, pack down gently if you would like it to be a chunky granola
bake 350F, 20-25 minutes,( longer for more crunch)
if adding shredded coconut, add on top the final 5-6 minutes
allow to completely cool before moving granola, 40 -45 minutes
place in glass container and use within 2-3 weeks.
Meal Tips/Preparation:
personalize granola by adding additional dried fruits, seeds, coconut shreds, hempseed, golden berries, mulberries etc.
to experiment further with flavours, add some orange zest (1 tbsp) in with the spices
serve with fresh fruit or berries and your choice of liquid (milk/yogurt)
recipes to compliment: annaz's Coco-NutNSeed Granola or Grain Free Brekkie nut and berry mixture
can be used in trail mixes, annaz's no bake energy balls: Nutty Pep Balls
Making dehydrated ginger:
take fresh peeled ginger roots, dice as fine as you can or grate, place in a dehydrator or oven between 115-125F on a silicon baking sheet or a baking sheet lined parchment paper and allow to dry throughly. Depending on how fine the ginger is grated/diced, 1-2 hours. Allow to cool before storing in glass jar.
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