Chocolate Chip Cranberry Matcha Granola

Crunchy Vegan Matcha Granola: the superfood everyone is talking about. This granola is refined sugar & oil free, packed with nutritious ingredients making it a perfect breakfast or snack. 

I LOVE granola. It's the perfect topper for any breakfast: smoothie bowls, acai bowls, yogurt bowls, oatmeal, toast.. and so much more. I even just eat is by the handful or with a bit of almond milk as a snack.

I used to always just buy my granola out of convenience but it is honestly one of the easiest things to make! Measure, mix & bake... AND its a fraction of the cost of store bought granola. Its perfect for meal prepping since you can make a huge batch of it on the weekend and store it so you have some on hand for the rest of the week. Plus, you can customize it exactly how you want. The flavour and ingredient combinations are endless so you can a different flavour every week. This time around, I decided to add in the superfood that seems to be the craze lately: matcha!

What is Matcha (抹茶)?

Coming from a Japanese background, I grew up surrounded by A LOT of Matcha flavoured things: from simple desserts & treats to a more sophisticated traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Simply, Matcha is green tea leaves that is finely grounded into powder. This ingredient has been around for centuries, and is packed with antioxidants, polyphenols and catechins. As well, chlorophyll (from the rich green colour) theanine and a good amount of caffeine. Supposedly, Matcha can reduce mental & physical stress and provide energy steadily (aka no quick energy crashing that a lot of caffeine supplements seem to do).

How to Pick your Matcha:

Good quality Matcha can be pricy, but it's so worth it. The taste is completely different and a little does go a long way! I always like to base the quality of the Matcha based on the packaging and colour of the Matcha. I prefer to buy ones that come in tins and that are rich and vibrant in colour. This and this are two of my favourite.

If you're still not sold on the whole Matcha thing,and debating whether you should try this granola recipe out- maybe I can still try to convince you. This Matcha Granola is:

• vegan, oil-free dairy-free and refined-sugar free
• rich in flavour with the perfect amount of sweetness to balance the bitterness of the Matcha
• easy to make and perfect for meal prep for busy mornings
• different texture profiles from the variety of wholesome ingredients
• made with nutrient packed ingredients that will keep you full and satisfied

I hope I've now tempted you to get your granola making on! 😉

If you make this bomb matcha granola, please share it and let me know what you think by tagging me on Instagram @lisakitahara, I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 C
2. Add all dry ingredients (except chocolate chips and sesame seeds) into a mixing bowl and mix
3. Add wet ingredients and mix to combine until all dry ingredients are evenly coated
4. Spread mixture over parchment lined baking tray and place into the oven for 20 minutes
5. Let it cool and then add in your chocolate chips and sesame seeds

Ingredients

• 1c oats
• ¼ c pistachios chopped
• ¼ c almonds chopped
• 1 tablespoon matcha
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ⅓c dried fruit (cranberries)
• 3 tbsp  maple syrup
• 2 tablespoon coconut sugar
• 4 tablespoon chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds

Notes

• Total time: <30 minutes
• Makes 2-4 servings
• Store in airtight container