Dehydrated Seed Granola With Goji Berries

Another Maui inspiration! This is a great breakfast booster or snack. Soak desired amount of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, black sesame seeds, quinoa, & buckwheat in a sprouting jar ( or, you can use a jar with a mesh lid secured by an elastic band) for 6-8 hours. Rinse, then drain upside down & sprout 1-2 days. Spread contents out on a baking dish or pan. Drizzle agave or maple syrup to taste. Sprinkle powdered cardamom, ginger & cinnamon on top. Mix thoroughly. If you don't have a dehydrator you can use your oven, that's what I did. To retain the vital nutrients in the sprouted seeds, you want to keep the heat as low as your oven will go. I have a 'warm' option on my stove which was 170 F. I dehydrated my seeds on that temperature for 4-5 hours, stirring after each hour, until dried. When seeds are dehydrated, add goji berries & store in a jar. Enjoy this nutrient rich granola on top of yoghurt or with your favorite milk or just grab a handful for a snack! An interesting fact is that despite its name, buckwheat is not a wheat, nor is it even in the wheat family. Buckwheat is actually related to the rhubarb family! Containing 8 essential amino acids, including high amounts of tryptophan, buckwheat is considered a good-quality protein source. Since tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin (serotonin is formed from tryptophan), having a good source of tryptophan in your diet is important to help enhance your mood & mental clarity. Buckwheat is also very high in manganese & high in vitamins B & E; it also provides calcium.

Quinoa consists of about 20 % protein; it is high in lysine & a good source of iron & potassium. High levels of B vitamins are also found in quinoa.

Goji berries are packed with essential amino acids & rich in vitamin A & C. Goji berries have over 20 trace minerals & vitamins including zinc, iron, phosphorus, B2, vitamin E, as well as carotenoids, including beta-carotene.