Granola! Be it a trusty trail hike companion, yogurt topper, or pre workout snack, it’s always a delight to reach for this tasty and always customizable treat. But store bought baggies are often loaded with ingredients you may not want, be it artificial sugars or allergens. Happily, it’s easy to make at home with simple pantry staples. Here’s my favorite recipe for Cocoa Quinoa Granola:

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

½ cup (86g) Quinoa, dry
2 cups (200g) Old fashioned oats
1 tablespoon (10g) Chia or flax seeds
¼ -½ cup (30-60g) Nuts of your choosing, chopped roughly (I used walnuts and pistachios)
¼ cup (60g) Aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas)
¼ cup (60ml) Maple syrup, honey, or liquid sweetener of your choice
¼ cup (20g) Cocoa powder, unsweetened
Pinch of salt
1 scoop Protein powder of your choosing, optional

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together aquafaba, maple syrup (or the sweetener of your choice), cocoa powder, salt and protein powder if you choose to use it. Make sure no clumps of cocoa powder remain.

3. Toast and pop the quinoa, like you would with stove-top popcorn. Heat a pan over medium high heat until a drop of water skitters across the surface. Then add quinoa directly to the pan. Shake pan continuously. You should hear quinoa start to pop within a few seconds. Keep shaking the pan to move the quinoa around for 1-2 minutes, making sure it doesn’t burn. Once the popping slows down, and the quinoa smells nice and nutty, remove from pan and add to the bowl with the cocoa mixture.

4. Add nuts, oats, chia or flax seeds to the mixing bowl. Stir with a spatula to make sure everything is coated in the cocoa mixture. Spread evenly on baking sheet.

5. Bake for 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet and giving it a shake to distribute granola halfway through.

6. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Store in pantry.