Chocolate Chia Pre-Workout Granola
Great for just before you train or as an on-the-go snack, this chocolate chia granola is packed with whole-food ingredients like buckwheat, which is loaded with fiber and minerals; cacao, which stimulates serotonin release to help you focus while you exercise; and chia seeds, which enhance your body’s ability to burn fat as fuel. Being properly fueled before training ensures energy for a better-quality workout. Serve this granola with homemade nut milk or yogurt, or pop it in a bag and eat it on the go.
Chocolate Chia Granola Recipe
Ingredients:
3 cups / 300g rolled oats
1 cup / 200g buckwheat
1 1⁄2 cups / 65g coconut flakes
1 cup /125g walnuts, hazelnuts, or almonds
1/4 cup / 30g chia seeds + 1⁄4 cup / 60ml water
1/2 tsp. fine grain sea salt
1/4 cup / 35g coconut sugar
1/3 cup / 85ml honey or maple syrup
1/3 cup / 85ml coconut oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup / 60g cocoa powder (organic, fair trade if possible)
1/2 cup dried apricots (unsulfured if possible)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°F.
Combine chia seeds and water together and mix well. Set aside to gel (this takes 10-15 minutes).
In a large bowl, combine oats, buckwheat, coconut flakes, and coconut sugar.
In a small saucepan over low-medium heat, melt coconut oil. Add honey or maple syrup, vanilla, salt, cocoa powder, and chia gel. Whisk to combine until smooth.
Pour liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and fold in roughly chopped nuts.
Spread mixture out in an even layer on a lined baking sheet and press firmly with the back of a spatula to ensure that the mixture is compact. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Remove from the oven, flip granola in large chunks, and place back in the oven to bake for another 10 minutes, stirring every 3-4 minutes until toasted and fragrant. The dark color of the granola makes it hard to tell if it is cooked or not, so go by smell. Another good way to test it is by tasting a hazelnut, which takes the longest to cook — it should taste nutty and pleasantly roasted.
Roughly chop apricots and add them to the granola once it has cooled. Transfer all of the granola to a large glass container with an airtight lid. Store granola at room temperature for up to one month.
Tips:
Oats are naturally gluten-free, but may be processed in a factory that processes other foods with gluten-like wheat or barley. If you have any gluten sensitivity, go for certified gluten-free oats to avoid contaminated oats.
Use coconut flakes to give the granola more texture. You can also use unsweetened desiccated coconut.
You can substitute maple syrup for honey or coconut nectar.
You’ll know the chia gel is ready when it has a thick, gel-like consistency.
RECIPE COURTESY OF SARAH BRITTON:
Sarah Britton (BFA, CNP) is a Holistic Nutritionist and Certified Nutritional Practitioner based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Sarah is the creative force behind My New Roots, the award-winning food blog which features original recipes that taste great, look beautiful, and boast incredible health benefits. Following her philosophy of “making healthy choices every day”, she has been creating recipes for her readers all over the world since 2007.
Winner of the 2014 Saveur “Best Food Blog – Special Diets Blog” Awards, Sarah currently teaches cooking classes, runs workshops on detoxification and cleansing, food as medicine, and nutrition fundamentals. She creates exclusive menu plans and recipes for various media and gives lectures and speaks in public forums such as TEDx.