salted banana buckwheat granola

a sweet and salty new use case for ripe bananas

cute periwinkle bowl from the lovely helka ceramics.

i’m keeping this newsletter short and sweet because, as i’m writing this, i’m in the middle of packing for a trip for two weeks (i leave tomorrow) and my laptop is staying at home, out of my sight and out of my hands. that means i’m writing and scheduling this recipe all at once, which i have never done in the two years of publishing this newsletter. it feels both freeing (just write and publish! you’re all good!) and a little scary (how many typos will i make? do my words make sense?), but i’m committed to making it happen for you, and for me.

you might already know that i’m a big fan of starting my days with yogurt and granola or a big bowl of cereal and milk, ideally topped with some jam (this roasted rhubarb and rose one is one of my favorites for spring) or fresh or frozen fruit.

this recipe is based off of one a former colleague and friend (hi lisa!) developed when we were working together a few years back, this banana bread granola. i’ve made her version many times because it’s an easy, extremely tasty way to use ripe bananas that’s not banana bread. i pretty much always want-slash-need need granola in the house for breakfast and/or snacking, so it’s a win-win.

i adapted a few things about her original recipe, notably increasing the amount of banana, oats and salt, and switching up the mix-ins. granola is very personal and versatile, so you should also feel free with this recipe to switch things up as you like, just stick to the overall ratio of liquids to solids. if you don’t like coconut or buckwheat or cacao nibs, add chopped almonds, hazelnuts or pecans. swap out some of the rolled oats for puffed wheat. reduce the salt if you prefer your sweets without a salty edge. use agave or honey instead of maple syrup.

ps: as i prepared to hit schedule, i realized all of the photos i took for this granola do not include cacao nibs because i did not add them. lol. it’s fine! it’s fine.

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this time two years ago:

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salted banana buckwheat granola

makes about 630 grams of granola; this recipe is an adaptation of lisa schölzel’s banana bread granola

1 large ripe banana (between 150-200 grams)

3 tablespoons coconut oil

150 grams maple syrup (substitut: honey)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon table salt

300 grams rolled oats

100 grams buckwheat groats

50 grams unsweetened shredded coconut

2 tablespoons sesame seeds (substitute: flax seeds, chia seeds)

50 grams cacao nibs (not pictured, lol)

flaky salt

1. preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. peel 1 large ripe banana and add to a small pot. mash really well with a fork, then add 3 tablespoons coconut oil, 150 grams maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1 teaspoon table salt. heat the syrup mixture over medium heat, mixing well to combine, until warmed through, about 3 minutes.

2. add 300 grams rolled oats, 100 grams buckwheat groats, 50 grams unsweetened shredded coconut and 2 tablespoons sesame seeds to a large bowl. pour in the warm syrup mixture and mix to coat evenly.

3. spread the granola mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 40 minutes, mixing every 15 minutes for the first half hour and every 5 minutes thereafter; when mixing, make sure to bring the granola from the edges of the baking sheet in towards the center and pushing the granola from the center of the baking sheet out to the edges to ensure more even browning.

4. once the granola is an even, deep golden brown, remove from the oven and let cool completely. once cooled, mix in cacao nibs and a pinch of flaky salt, if desired. transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 2 months.