Vegan Beetroot Granola Recipe

I have noticed a growing trend for adding a savoury element into what would normally be a sweet dish.  Think porridge with sweet potato, smoothie bowls with carrot or cucumber and here, my beetroot granola.  I love beetroot and it adds an earthy sweetness to the granola, not to mention it looks great.  I have tried to use as little refined sugar as possible, sweetening the granola with apple sauce and a little maple syrup.  However if you have a sweet tooth, feel free to add a couple of table spoons of coconut or muscovado sugar.  I served mine with some blueberries, coconut yoghurt and sliced plums.

Beetroot Granola

200 g Beetroot – roughly 1 medium size or 2 small beetroot

180 g large gluten free oats (I used Myllärin)

50g pumpkin seeds

50 g sunflower seeds

50 g pecans or hazelnuts

50 g whole almonds

2 tbsp dried ginger

2 tbsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

50 g cranberries

50 g dried apricots chopped

125 g sugar free apple sauce

3 tbsp oil

4 tbsp maple syrup

Start by wrapping you beetroot, skin on, in foil and roast in the oven at 180 degrees for 1 – 1.5 hours until they are super soft. Leave to cool. Meanwhile mix the oats, nuts and seeds in a large bowl.

Peel your beetroot and place in a food processor with the apple sauce, syrup, salt, cinnamon and ginger. Blitz until the mixture is smooth. Pour over your dry ingredients and mix thoroughly making sure everything is well coated with the beetroot mixture.

Pour onto a lined baking tray and bake at 170 degrees for 40 mins. Every 10 mins or so, give the granola a mix to allow it to toast evenly and prevent it from burning.

Once ready allow to cool and finally mix in the dried fruit.