Homemade granola makes great wilderness food. It’s hardy and packable for a day hike on the trail or a weekend camping trip. It’s delicious over Greek yogurt, maybe with some fresh fruit, or with milk as breakfast cereal, or just eaten by the handful as a wholesome snack. This version has cashews and raw quinoa, adding both protein and texture. Then I added cacao nibs covered in dark chocolate for a natural little burst of caffeine. My aunt Wendy ships them up to Alaska for me from Trader Joe’s. If you can’t find the cacao nibs or are hoping to cut back on some of the caffeine, dark chocolate mini morsels would be a nice alternative.
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ¼ cup raw quinoa, rinsed and drained
- ¾ cup cashews, roughly chopped
- ¾ cup shredded coconut
- 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 0.12 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- ½ teaspoon coconut extract
- ¼ cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
- 0.33 cup dark chocolate–covered cacao nibs
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the oats, quinoa, cashews, coconut, brown sugar, ground ginger, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. In a small bowl, combine the maple syrup, coconut oil, and coconut extract. Pour the wet ingredients over the oat mixture and toss to coat well.
- Spread the mixture evenly onto the baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, or until the granola is golden brown, fragrant, and beginning to crisp. The granola will crisp up further as it cools. Cool completely on the pan. Sprinkle the crystallized ginger and cacao nibs evenly over the granola. Store in airtight containers.