What even is Granola Bark?
Anyone else tried the Granola Bark craze? I’m a bit late to the party but after trying it I am here for it! So, what even is Granola Bark?! Nutty, crunchy granola baked in a single sheet and then once cooled drizzled with melted chocolate and snapped apart into chunks. I’ve taken the Granola Bark concept and jhooshed it with dark Ghana chocolate (hello magnesium and polyphenols) and sprinkled it with some tart freeze-dried raspberries to make Eat Granola Bark. It’s also loaded with all sorts of high fibre wholefoods so it’s even more nourishing. And it’s super yum.
Breakfast…Snack…Pudding
Eat Granola Bark is great for a snack, portable-ish breakfast, delish pudd or if you feel like a little something sweet with a cuppa. It is pretty energy dense so a small serve of this tends to go a long way. But is has 9+ plant points for your gut health, and is a good source of fibre, B vitamins, magnesium and essential fats so is way more nourishing than a biscuit or commercial muesli bar. If you are having it for breakfast, I’d have some Greek yoghurt and/or a milky coffee alongside it to up your protein a little more. And if you’re after some more breakfast ideas or snack options, head over to the website shop for a range of dietitian-developed recipe eBooks.
The Secret to Success
The key to a successful Granola Bark is having enough oil and maple syrup/honey to help bind it so it sticks together. Peanut butter or tahini can also be good for this if you feel like experimenting! Plus, when you tip the mixture onto the tray to bake, make sure you squish it all together really firmly with a spatula to pack it down (otherwise it can be a bit crumbly). And finally, don’t stir it, just turn the tray halfway through cooking, and leave it as one flat lump! Make it your way…drizzle with runny peanut butter, sprinkle with dried apricots, use milk chocolate…the choice is yours.
Eat Granola Bark Recipe
2 cups rolled oats
½ cup threaded coconut
½ cup buckwheat groats (raw)
½ cup mixed nuts
½ cup puffed cereal (eg millet, quinoa, brown rice)
¼ cup each pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds
4 tablespoons oil (coconut or rice bran)
3-4 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
100g dark chocolate – melted
Freeze dried raspberries (optional)
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Mix rolled oats, coconut, buckwheat, nuts, puffed cereal and seeds in a bowl. Warm the oil and maple syrup honey together in a pot over low heat until combined. Pour the oil mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well, ensuring all dry ingredients are covered. Tip onto a baking tray or roasting dish and spread out to a single layer, squishing down with a spatula to keep it all together and tightly packed.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, turning the pan around halfway through cooking to ensure it is evenly cooked. Don’t stir, instead leave it to cook as a big cluster! It will be golden brown and smelling delicious when it is ready. Allow to cool completely before drizzling over chocolate and sprinkling over freeze-dried raspberries if you’re using them. Break into clumps and store in a sealed container in the fridge.
