Breakfast of champions

Nutritional therapist Jenna Zoe helps you get your day off to a powerful start

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Breakfast of champions

Jenna Zoe is a nutritional therapist whose new book, Super Healthy Snacks and Treats (Ryland, Peters & Small), is packed with clever ways to have healthy snacks that still manage to be crunchy, creamy or sweet. She shared one of her clients’ favourite breakfasts with us – one that can be prepared ahead and enjoyed on the fly.

Power protein granola ‘I so named this recipe because it contains the three most “superfood-y” ingredients in the grain and seed category – chia seeds, buckwheat and quinoa. Granola is a food often associated with being healthy but most of the time shop-bought granolas contain ridiculous amounts of sugar. Even healthier versions of it can be too heavy if they are made primarily with nuts, which means you can’t really have a bowl’s worth of the stuff.

This version contains only about 4 tablespoons maple syrup for the entire batch, and no other added sugars in the form of dried fruits. It also has a high protein content too, since buckwheat, quinoa and chia seeds are composed of 13, 15, and 20 per cent protein respectively. I often fill a mason jar with this granola and gift it to clients for special occasions, and it always receives rave reviews.’  

Serves 8

275g buckwheat groats

170g cooked quinoa

3 tablespoons chia seeds

35g pumpkin seeds

40g almonds, roughly chopped

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

60ml coconut oil

60ml pure maple syrup

3 tablespoons water 

Baking sheet lined with baking parchment or foil  

  • Preheat the oven to 180หšC/(350หšF)/Gas 4. In a large bowl, mix the buckwheat groats, quinoa, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, cinnamon and nutmeg.
  • Put the vanilla extract, coconut oil and maple syrup in a saucepan over low heat and allow to melt. Now pour it into the bowl of dry ingredients and toss to coat. Add the water if you prefer your granola a little less crunchy.
  • Spread the granola out on the prepared baking sheet, and don’t worry if there are clumps. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour.
  • When it has cooled for a few minutes, break it apart into clusters.
  • Store in a cool place in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. Serve with dairy-free milk and fresh fruit, e.g. blueberries.

Did you know?

'Back when I was first getting into healthy foods, I stayed away from using buckwheat because I assumed it was a kind of wheat. In reality, it’s not even a cereal grain but the seed of a fruit closely related to rhubarb. It’s totally gluten-free, and also low-GI, high in protein (25 per cent), and rich in magnesium, which we could all do with more of. You can buy the groats (kernels) in bulk, or buy buckwheat flour to use in your healthy baking adventures. When I go out to eat Japanese food, I often choose a soba noodle dish because these are made from buckwheat. A soba dish feels comforting and indulgent and is still a lot healthier than some other sushi options.' 

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