*Advance Prep Recommended (see quinoa below). Sweetened with maple syrup and packed with seedy bits, this clustery Lemon Tahini Cashew Granola is a healthy and filling on-the-go snack or ready-when-you-are breakfast. This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and easily gluten free.
Preheat the oven to 275F (135C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add the quinoa, thick rolled oats, shredded coconut, cashews, sunflower, sesame and poppy seeds, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Stir throughly. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the tahini, coconut oil, maple syrup and lemon juice and zest. Whisk until it is smooth and there are no lumps.
Pour the wet over the dry ingredients and mix with a sturdy spoon until all the ingredients are moistened and evenly distributed. Pour the mixture into the pan and press into an even layer. Bake at 275F (135C) for one hour, then rotate the pan and increase the oven temperature to 315F (157C) for 15-25 minutes OR until the edges are golden.* (see note) The granola will still be soft to the touch but it will firm up as it cools. Let it cool completely in the pan before removing it. This ensures clustering!
Store in a lidded container for up to two weeks at room temperature.
Notes
*Due to oven variations, use bake time indicated only as guide for when the granola is done. Golden edges is a clue that the granola is ready to be pulled from the oven. I have more here on oven variations and highly recommend an oven thermometer. The long bake and cooling off time is necessary to dry the granola out, completely, to ensure crunchy clusters! **Raw rinsed quinoa can be used in this recipe. However, I've read that soaking quinoa for at least 6 hours improves it's digestibility. Recipe adapted from my Maple Pecan Granola recipe.