CHUNKY MONKEY BANANA BREAD GRANOLA by I Quit Sugar (+ a Healthy Breakfast Cookbook review from a veggie perspective)

Prior to Oliver’s arrival, I was given a copy of the Healthy Breakfast Cookbook by I Quit Sugar and had the opportunity to test some of the recipes (and do a little make-ahead meal prepping too before I headed for the maternity ward!).

With the next round of the 8-Week Program about to kick off (registrations close in just a few hours!), there are some new IQSers exploring the realms of sugar-free life already, with a view to making the process a little gentler. So for those people, and for breakfast lovers in general, I thought I’d share a general impression plus a couple of favourites from this beautifully presented eCookbook… and probably my favourite recipe from it too; the Chunky-Monkey Banana Bread Granola.

Firstly, veggie friends should note that around 60% of the recipes in the Healthy Breakfast Cookbook are for you! YAY! And a portion of those are modifiable, as in possible to make dairy/egg-free if that meets your dietary requirements.

The Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Cake is unsurprisingly yummy. Definitely warming and satisfying, but not overly dense or sweet; think something along the lines of a nuttier, less banana-y banana bread in brownie form, if that makes sense! Easy to scoop directly from the baking dish onto your plate or, if you are a fan of food prep, do as I do and slice it before freezing for easy ready-made individual breakfast-sized portions. I used hazelnuts to top mine as I was out of pecans and although it was great, pecans (as per the original recipe) would be even better.

The Chunky Summer Salsa on Toast is fabulous. A fresh and light alternative to heavier cheesy toasties, the creaminess of avocado, the freshness of herbs (I used parsley and basil instead of dill) and the crunch of radish & cucumber is a winning combination!

And back to the Chunky-Monkey Banana Bread Granola. As is the case with conventional granola, it’s the added sugar/sweetener that forms the yummy clusters. Cleverly, this recipe uses almond butter and bananas to create a similar effect, as well as combining the natural deliciousness of both ingredients to provide lasting energy (as opposed to a sugar rush).

There is a problem, however. You may find that a fair portion ends up being eaten as a snack before it even hits your breakfast bowl!*

If you’re interested in knowing my own personal sugar-quitting story, see my detailed posts on the subject (there are lots of them, but here is a link to one from 2014: I QUIT SUGAR… AGAIN! (IQS 8-Week Program, weeks 3 – 8 in review)).

Happy breakfasting! 🙂

<3 MM xx

CHUNKY MONKEY BANANA BREAD GRANOLA

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS
250 ml rolled oats
250 ml pecans
250 ml buckwheat groaties
250 ml walnuts
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla powder
1/4 tsp of salt
Around 60 ml almond butter
1 large ripe banana, mashed (about 125 ml)
Around 60 ml coconut oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
2. Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, mix all ingredients until everything is nicely coated.
3. Scoop onto the prepared baking tray and roughly flatten out. You still want to leave a few large chunky pieces.
4. Place in the oven and cook for 20 minutes, turning halfway. Once nicely browned,
   remove granola from the oven and allow to cool completely. This will make your clusters hold together better.

 

*True story!

*Recipe shared with kind permission from I Quit Sugar. Some tiny adjustments to the text have been made in line with how recipes are structured here at missmarzipan.com (using metric measurements).