"Toasted Marshmallow" GRAWnola

Okay, okay. Sooo. It's obvious that if this granola is going to be raw vegan granola it:

1. Can't be toasted, and

2. Can't be made with marshmallows.

That's why this granola IS raw vegan. It's none of the above!

I got a nice tax refund coming in, and I don't know about you, but that means I have a little extra money to buy some things I wouldn't normally buy. I was out filling up some imaginary shopping carts (doesn't everybody do that!?) at Blue Mountain Organics when I actually decided to buy some of the stuff in my cart. While I won't say exactly what I bought (yet), I will mention that I got an awesome idea to make some grawnola. They offer a cereal called Marshmallow Crunch that's made of buckwheat, dates, almonds, flax seeds, agave, and vanilla. Pretty simple, no? I knew at that moment that I had to make me some. I'm mean, it is a blizzard outside. What else am I gonna do?

She's happy cause she's vegan.

First, I had to go about switching up some of the ingredients. Then, I had to do a little soaking. Then I remembered that my food processor kicked the bucket last Christmas. I guess it was about time to see what my blender was really made of anyway. I also made this grawnola truly sugarless. Well, you know, maybe not sugarless, but definitely 100% raw and fruit sweetened. The coconut and vanilla extract is kind of important in here for the flavor it gives. Now, it doesn't taste exactly like marshmallows, but it does have a nice, delicate sweetness with nutty, buttery, vanilla overtones. Oh, yeah. It's good. I can't wait to eat a bowl of it with some sliced bananas and almond milk! This doesn't make a crazy amount, only about 3 1/2 to 4 cups, so if you have quite a bit of the ingredients, feel free to double it!

"Toasted Marshmallow" Raw Granola:
1 1/2 c. prepared buckwheat crispies, or raw buckwheat groats
3/4 c. pitted dates
1/4 c. whole almonds
4 Tb. dried, unsweetened coconut chips (or shreds or flakes)
1/4 c. whole, raw macadamia nuts (about 6).
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3/4 tsp. coconut extract
1/8 tsp. cardamom
Dash of sea salt

1. If you don't have any buckwheat crispies (soaked and dehydrated raw buckwheat groats), you'll need to soak some raw buckwheat groats. In three separate bowls, soak the crispies, dates, and almonds for at least two hours. The buckwheat groats will need to have their water drained and then rinsed off a couple times, until they are no longer slimy. For the almonds, I let them soak until their skins get soft, then I peel all the skins off and give them a fresh change of water before I let them soak a little more. The dates I leave alone because I want their water to become nice and sweet and saturated with delicious dateness. You probably don't need to mess around with the almonds like I do, but I think it's kind of fun peeling the skins off...

2. Once everything is done soaking, drain it. In a blender or food processor. Blend the dates and the almonds with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the date soak water, just until it's nice and paste-like. Chop the macadamia nuts.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the date-almond paste with the buckwheat groats, coconut chips, chopped macadamias, vanilla and coconut extracts, cardamom, and dash of salt. Mix well to coat everything.
4. Evenly spread the granola onto a dehydrator tray lined with parchment paper. Dehydrate for three hours. 5. Break granola into crumbles. At this time I also cut out a lot more of the parchment paper to allow a little more air-circulation, but you don't have to. Dehydrate another three hours or until the granola is completely dry.
6. Allow the granola to cool, and then store in an air-tight container.

Now it's time for me to do a little more imaginary shopping. There's a few items I'd like to get from Living Tree Community Foods. 

Shall it be the black sesame halvah (though it's not exactly halvah...)?

Maybe it'll be the pistachio pesto?

Or how about the organic carob halvah spread, or the coconut, carob, cacao, goji butter?  Mmm...

Anywho, here's a little note to go out with: I'm really not a member of the agave camp. I have used it in the past, but I did some research and now I've decided against it. I just wanted you to know that I personally don't like agave and it won't be included as an ingredient in any more of my recipes. However, if you want to substitute agave for any of the sweeteners in my recipe, feel free!

Photos from the Living Tree Community Foods website. The link is clickable above.