Tag: sourdough granola

You Can Use Discard or Active Starter and Ferment for Extra Nutrition and Deliciousness!

Come and discover the art of crafting homemade sourdough granola, whether you’re utilizing discard or active starter. It’s a straightforward process yielding delectable results! Our nutritious loaded sourdough granola recipe is delicately sweetened with natural maple syrup, boasting a medley of nuts and seeds rich in fiber and omega fatty acids. While we relish the aromatic blend of vanilla, cinnamon, and coconut in our sourdough discard granola, we’ve curated a variety of other flavor and seasoning suggestions for you to explore. Additionally, we’ve included instructions on fermenting sourdough granola, elevating its nutritional profile with added nutrients.

Granola paired with plain yogurt and fresh fruit constitutes a breakfast classic in our household. You just can’t go wrong with the the sweet crunchiness and nuttiness of homemade sourdough granola.

Here’s what you can expect from this sourdough granola recipe:

1. Chunkiness: Thanks to the sticky sourdough starter and ground flax meal, this granola boasts satisfyingly chunky clusters. These natural binders help maintain the crisp, toasted texture of the granola, allowing you to break it into small cereal-like pieces or enjoy it in larger, snackable clusters, depending on your preference.
2. Healthier and Less Sweet: Unlike commercial granola, this recipe is healthier and less sweet. Free from refined sugar and puffed rice, it features a high nut and seed-to-oat ratio, providing ample protein and fewer carbs. Additionally, the inclusion of hemp hearts and ground flax seed meal enriches the granola with protein, fiber, omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, vitamin E, and minerals. If fermented first, these nutrients become even more bioavailable.
3. Flexibility: This recipe offers flexibility in customization. Whether you use discard or active starter, incorporate your favorite nuts and seeds, experiment with various spices and seasonings, add nut butter, or include dried fruit, the choice is yours. You can bake it immediately or opt to let it ferment. Moreover, individuals baking with gluten-free sourdough starter can easily adapt this recipe to create gluten-free sourdough granola. Embrace your creativity and savor the versatility of this recipe!

If you need sourdough starter, feel free to pick up a dry (but alive!) organic sourdough starter from the Delgado Homestead shop. All it needs a little water, flour, and few days to get active again.

Achieving that perfect crunch in homemade granola requires some patience and technique. Here are some key tips:

1. Low and Slow Baking: To ensure optimal crunchiness, bake the granola at a low temperature for an extended period. This allows moisture to evaporate gradually without risking over-toasting or burning. The nuts, seeds, flax meal, and coconut oil in this sourdough discard granola recipe also contribute to its satisfying crunchiness.
2. Proper Storage: Store your homemade granola in a good-quality, airtight container to preserve its crunchiness. This helps prevent exposure to moisture, which can soften the granola over time.
3. Patience: While it may not seem super crunchy right out of the oven, homemade granola crisps up significantly as it cools and dries. Allow it to cool completely before transferring it to a storage container to maintain its desired texture.

By following these tips and techniques, you can enjoy homemade granola with the perfect balance of crunchiness and flavor.

Here’s how to make fermented sourdough granola for an extra nutritional boost:

1. Prepare the Mixture: Combine all the wet ingredients in a mixing bowl: sourdough starter, maple syrup, melted coconut oil or butter, ground flaxseed, vanilla extract, cinnamon, sea salt, and water (if fermenting). Mix well to ensure all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
2. Add the Dry Ingredients: Add the rolled oats, nuts, seeds, hemp hearts, and optional coconut flakes to the wet mixture. Stir until everything is evenly coated with the wet ingredients.
3. Fermentation: If fermenting the granola, cover the bowl loosely and let it sit at room temperature for 2 to 6 hours. For longer fermentation, move the mixture to the refrigerator (e.g., overnight). Keep in mind that longer fermentation may result in a more sour taste and potentially less crunchiness.
4. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) while the granola mixture is fermenting.
5. Baking: Spread the fermented granola mixture evenly on a lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to ensure even browning. The granola is ready when it’s golden brown and crisp.
6. Cooling and Storage: Allow the granola to cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring it to an airtight container for storage. If adding dried fruit, mix it in once the granola has cooled.

This fermented sourdough granola is packed with nutrients and flavor, making it a delicious and wholesome breakfast or snack option. Enjoy it with yogurt, milk, or as a topping for smoothie bowls!

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make sourdough granola:

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 315°F (157°C).
2. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a medium to large mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients: sourdough starter, maple syrup, melted oil or butter, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon, and ground flax meal. Mix thoroughly to ensure all ingredients are well combined.
3. Add Dry Ingredients: Add the rolled oats, nuts, seeds, coconut, and hemp hearts to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Toss and stir until all the dry ingredients are evenly coated with the wet mixture.
4. Optional Fermentation: Optionally, cover the bowl loosely and let the granola mixture ferment for 2 to 6 hours at room temperature, or longer in the refrigerator, before baking. If refrigerated overnight, allow it to soften and warm up at room temperature for a couple of hours before baking.
5. Spread on Baking Sheet: Spread the raw granola mixture onto a large baking sheet, greased or lined with parchment paper. Press the mixture down firmly into a solid, flat sheet about ½ inch thick, ensuring all the granola bits are touching.
6. Bake: Bake the granola in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until lightly toasted. Once the outer edges start to brown, remove the baking sheet from the oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes.
7. Break into Clusters: Using a spatula or your hands (if cool enough), gently break up the granola into large clusters or chunks. Stir, flip, and rotate the clusters on the tray to promote even toasting. Move pieces from the outer edge of the pan inward and vice versa.

Your sourdough granola is now ready to enjoy! You can serve it with yogurt, milk, or eat it as a standalone snack. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for future use.

Looking for sourdough discard recipes? Come try our healthy loaded sourdough granola recipe – with chunky clusters of oats, nuts, seeds, coconut, flax, maple syrup, hemp seeds, vanilla, cinnamon and more. You can make sourdough granola with active or discard starter, or make it fermented!