Chickpea Flour Does it All – Clumpy Granola with Stewed Rhubarb

Although I consider myself a serious food enthusiast and a passionate cook and baker, there certainly are ingredients that I don't use that often or that I'm rather unfamiliar with. Similarly, there are dishes, even classics, that I've never made either because they somehow scare me to death, because I have never really been in the mood to make them, or because it just has never happened. I've never made a tarte tatin or a summery granita. Pulled pork is still on my recipes-to-tackle list. Brownies? Oh well... I've made filled pasta shells numerous times but have never made canneloni at home. And although I love Asian flavors, I don't cook Asian that often. I haven't grown up using the ingredients and have learned Asian cooking methods and techniques simply by reading online articles, books, or magazines and by watching tv shows or clips on YouTube. This means that every time I cook Asian I have to get out of my comfort zone. Sometimes it works out perfectly; other times I'm left confused, as I can't get the flavors or textures right or because the dish looks monumentally different than what it's supposed to.

For a long time, chickpea flour was an ingredient that just never found its way into my kitchen. It just never happened.

Lindsey is one of the first food bloggers I got online friends with. I still remember how fascinated I was by her cooking back in 2013 when I stumbled upon her blog, dolly and oatmeal, for the very first time. Her space was different from others, I could really feel her spirit in her photography, writing, and recipes. I've always felt that one of the best compliments one can get as a creative is that others recognize your style, that they can say "hey, that recipe/photo/piece of writing is from person x". And yes, Lindsey truly has a unique style and a special, fresh take on seasons' best produce. In her recipes she highlights how food can make us fell good and healthy without making you feel bad just because you may or may not have eaten that burger with extra fries and mayo last night. She manages to be authentic, inspiring, and encouraging both on her blog and in her debut cookbook Chickpea Flour Does it All: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegetarian Recipes for Every Taste and Season.

Chickpea Flour Does it All is a collection of 96 delicious recipes organized by season and month. I must admit that I hardly ever like books that focus on one ingredient only (the exception is chocolate, obviously), but Chickpea Flour Does it All makes an exception. And I'm really not saying this because I love Lindsey's work anyway. The book's recipes use chickpea flour in such a clever and versatile way that you'll actually forget that chickpea flour is mentioned in the book's title. Primarily, Lindsey's book is about seasonal, fresh ingredients that are tasty not only for people who have to avoid gluten and dairy or just choose to live a specific lifestyle but for everyone. Chickpea flour is an ingredient that I, as I already mentioned, was pretty unfamiliar with prior to this book. Yes, I had made socca (according to Lindsey's recipe) before but that was about it. After testing a couple of the book's recipes, such as the divine Chocolate Banana Loaf that I started to bake after 9pm one Sunday night, I was amazed by what an amazing ingredient I had previously ignored. Chickpea Flour Does it All is a beautiful book for any food lover who wants to discover the world of seasonal, fresh cooking with big flavors and ingredients that make you feel good.

Some of the recipes that are high on my to-make list: Ginger-Shiitake Miso Broth with Chickpea Tofu, Hearty Morning Glory Loaf, Almond Butter Brownies, Chickpea Polenta with Sautéed Spring Vegetables, Sweet Flatbread with Grilled Berries, Quinoa Falafel with Romanesco Sauce, Baked Buttermilk Onion Rings, and Baby Kale Caesar Salad. I'm already drooling here, what about you?

When Lindsey asked me whether I was interested in sharing one of her book's recipes on my blog, I knew that the Clumpy Granola with Stewed Rhubarb would be the one. As some of you probably know, I'm a huge fan of granola and rhubarb is one of my all-time favorite ingredients. The thought of combining these two favorite things sounded perfect. In this recipe, chickpea flour is used to create a wonderfully clumpy granola without the need to add egg whites. I ended up baking this granola numerous times because one batch didn't last very long. The first time I made the recipe, I used extra virgin olive oil instead of coconut oil and it worked out perfectly. You may want to add some dried fruit or berries to your granola once baked and cooled. For example, I added candied ginger to the batch I photographed for this post and loved it. For a spring and summer version you can add dried flowers to the baked granola to make it look extra pretty. As a final note, the stewed rhubarb tastes equally great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and cacao nibs sprinkled on top. Just sayin'...

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Clumpy Granola with Stewed Rhubarb

Recipe from Chickpea Flour Does it All: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegetarian Recipes for Every Taste and Season by Lindsey S. Love

makes 3 cups of granola

Oats are naturally gluten-free. However, they're often processed in facilities that also process wheat or other products containing gluten, so that oats often get contaminated. If you want to make sure that your oats are gluten-free always make sure to buy oats that are labeled as such.
For a dairy-free version, Lindsey suggests to serve this granola with coconut yogurt.
 

for the granola:
210 g (2 cups) old-fashioned rolled oats
85 g (½ cup) almonds, chopped
15 g (½ cup) puffed brown rice
60 g (½ cup) chickpea flour
33 g (¼ cup) pumpkin seeds
35 g (¼ cup) sunflower seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp fine sea salt
80 ml (⅓ cup) maple syrup
60 ml (¼ cup) coconut oil, melted

for the stewed rhubarb:
1 rhubarb stalk, trimmed & cut into 1-inch pieces (if using young, thin stalks, use 2)
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp lemon juice
½ vanilla bean pod, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out or ½ tsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste

plain yogurt, to serve


Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. In a small bowl, whisk together the syrup and oil, and then fold into the dry mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Mix for 2 to 3 minutes, until the granola is wet and clumpy.

Transfer the granola to the prepared baking sheet and use the back of your spoon or spatula to spread it out in an even layer.

Baake for 40 to 45 minutes, rotating halfway through, until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from the oven; let cool completely. Gently break up the granola into clumps and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

To make the stewed rhubarb, heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat; add the rhubarb, syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla bean, and stir. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until bubbling and the rhubarb is tender and loses a bit of its color. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Enjoy the granola and stewed rhubarb with yogurt.

Recipe from Chickpea Flour Does it All: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegetarian Recipes for Every Taste and Season. ©Lindsey S. Love, 2016. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold. theexperimentpublishing.com

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Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of Chickpea Flour Does it All from the publisher, the Experiment, free of charge. However, I wasn't compensated for this review. As always, all opinions are my own.

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Related Posts

Honey Granola with Summer Berries

Midsummer is all about light and flowers. That said, how perfect is this recipe to share around this time of the year? I had the honour of being a guest at Suus' Morning Rituals series on her fabulous food blog Food Bandits. Morning Rituals is one of those food blog series I look most forward to, so it was a real joy to become a part of that international blog and breakfast love. I talked about my breakfast favorites, how I would like to be a morning person, although I'm not, coffee, and shared the recipe for honey granola. You can read the talk I had with Suus here.

This granola recipe was created out of a longing for a simple yet tasty granola that would be lovely with summer's most wonderful berries and fruit. I wanted a granola that would let the summer produce be the star of the bowl. During the colder months, I like to add all kind of spices, nuts, seeds, and dried berries to my granola, so that the granola can easily stand on its own. In summer, however, I look for more delicate flavors.

Honey works great as a sweetener and is a nice alternative to maple syrup that I use often when sweetening homemade granola. Elderflowers are the essence of summer and I just can't believe that elderflower trees are so very hard to find here in Finland. It's not fair, folks! Out of frustration, I've used elderflower syrup a lot lately. I've marinated strawberries in it, made drinks with elderflower syrup and prosecco, and decided to use it in this granola as well. Should you not be able to find elderflower syrup at your local grocery store, look for it at Ikea. I opted for almonds only but you could certainly use whatever nuts you like the most. I'm a sucker for millet in my granola, as I like its texture when toasted; it adds something exciting to the granola mix. Should you not be into millet or don't have it at hand, leave it out or substitute it with seeds of your choice.

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Honey Granola with Summer Berries

makes 1 sheet

This granola is naturally gluten-free. However, look for certified gluten-free oats, as oats are often contaminated with gluten, for example during harvesting, milling, or packaging.
 

200 g (5 dl; 2 cups) rolled oats
150 g (2 ½ dl; 1 cup) almonds, roughly chopped
55 g (4 tbsp) millet
¾ tsp fine sea salt
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 tbsp elderflower syrup
1 ½ dl (2/3 cup) honey

plain yogurt, to serve
summer berries or fruit, to serve
optional: honey or agave nectar, to serve

Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the oats, almonds, millet, and salt. In another, small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, elderflower syrup, and honey until throughly combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix.

Spread the granola mixture evenly onto the lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly golden. The granola will get crispy as it cools. Stir the granola mixture and flip the sheet half way through. Keep a close look at the granola, as honey tends to brown quickly. Mix the granola mixture several times during the last 10 minutes of baking, as the granola at the edges tends to brown quicker than in the middle.

Let the granola cool completely before storing in an airtight container, such as a mason jar.

Enjoy with plain yogurt and top with your favorite summer berries.

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Summer mornings − The Vibrant Table: Double Cacao Buckwheat Granola

June was rather cold and gloomy at our latitude. Therefore, these warm, sunny days we have been fortuned enough to enjoy during the last few days have felt like a true blessing. However, I must admit that I wasn't that annoyed by the bad weather we had to endure for way too many weeks. This probably is because life at the summer cottage feels relaxing and wonderful no matter how the sky looks like outside the windows. But now that the sun is shining again, I notice how much I need the smell of sun-kissed skin.

This summery weather also brings lovely mornings with it; I make it my ritual to enjoy breakfast on the porch. On mornings like these, breakfast feels extra special. Normally, I eat a slice of good bread (after a short pause, I'm back in the no-knead bread baking madness experimenting with different flours and proofing times) or a bowl of plain yogurt with homemade granola. These days, strawberries can be found on the table as well. As I drink my regular cup of strong coffee with milk, I listen to baby birds peeping vigorously for food, watch squirrels climbing from one tree to another and eating pine cones like they're bacon & sweet corn ice cream sandwiches, and let my eyes linger on the beautiful Nordic lake scenery. I take a deep breath and my mind and body seem to find peace if only for a brief moment.

I was beyond excited when The Vibrant Table cookbook arrived at my doorstep. I found myself coming back to it multiple times a day; whether it was reading about the benefits of soaking and sprouting or flipping through the pages getting inspired by the recipes and pictures. I love when food becomes a way of expressing ones heritage and love for food. This book reflects both in such a wonderful way. I admire how Anya uses ingredients that are often forgotten or overseen, such as rutabaga and buckwheat groats, or interprets Russian favorites in a new way, such as zapekanka, a kind of cheese soufflé. The Vibrant Table is not only a gorgeous cookbook filled with seasonal recipes for every occasion but also a helpful, easily approachable guide to a wholesome, clean, and thoughtful diet.

This buckwheat granola was one of the first recipes that caught my attention and made my heart beat a bit faster. I could eat granola every single day of the year without getting bored as there are so many ways to keep a granola interesting and seasonal. After making multiple batches of this buckwheat granola, I can say I absolutely love it! In her book, Anya tells that it can be made with raw buckwheat groats or with buckwheat crispies (she also gives a recipe for raw granola but since I don't have a dehydrator I've not made this version and, thus, I'm not going to share that recipe with you today). Buckwheat crispies are simply buckwheat groats that have first been soaked and then dried again. Soaking not only makes grains more nutritious but also easier to digest (yes, these are the kind of things you learn from the book!). I made the granola both with raw groats and buckwheat crispies and liked the latter better; the flavor was enhanced and the texture was nicer as the granola didn't turn out that hard. You can of course go both ways. Soaking and drying takes a bit time but is by no means much work.

The original recipe calls for cacao nibs only. I, however, decided to share a double cacao version where I added some raw cacao powder to make it extra luscious. With the cherry season nearing its peak, I've enjoyed this granola with a handful of fresh, sweet cherries. However, now that bilberry season has started, and you can regularly find me picking bilberries in the woods until my hands are stained blue and my back is sore, I'm going to replace cherries with fragrant, local bilberries. However, feel free to play around with this recipe! You can add different seeds, grains (I would love to try a version with millet!) or nuts to the basic granola and once baked dried berries or fruit. You can sweeten the granola with maple syrup or use honey or agave nectar instead. I even substituted coconut oil with melted butter once and it worked perfectly. This is a granola that can easily be adapted to your liking and the current season.

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Double Cacao Buckwheat Granola

slightly adapted from The Vibrant Table, p. 55

makes 6 dl (2 ½ cups) granola

Note: At least in Scandinavia and Germany, most buckwheat groats that you can find at stores are rather light in color. As I've been told that the darker varieties have a much better aroma, I always strive to find those. Here in Finland, it's mostly Russian buckwheat that can be found in some ethnic markets or in the specialty section of a grocery store.

This granola is both gluten and dairy-free.
 

For the buckwheat crispies [makes about 380 g (2 heaping cups) buckwheat crispies]
400 g (4 ¾ dl; 2 cups) raw buckwheat groats

In a large bowl, cover the groats with water. The water level should be 2,5 to 5 cm (1" to 2") above the groats. Let soak for a minimum of one hour or overnight.

Pour the soaked groats into a colander. As raw buckwheat produces slime when soaked, you need to rinse the soaked groats well. Line two baking sheets with clean kitchen towels. Spread the rinsed groats on the towels and let dry for at least 24 hours or until completely dry. You may need to shake the sheets a couple of times while drying to ensure that the groats dry evenly.

Buckwheat crispies should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and will keep for up to 1 month. You can use the crispies to make granola or, for example, use in salads, tacos, etc.

For the granola
4 ¾ dl (2 cups; weight varies from 310 to 340 g) buckwheat crispies (see instructions above)
OR 400 g (4 ¾ dl; 2 cups) raw buckwheat groats
70 g (1 dl + 1 heaping tbsp; ½ cup) cacao nibs
1 tbsp raw cacao powder
2 tbsp + 1 tsp maple syrup
3 tbsp coconut oil, melted

yogurt or milk as well as seasonal berries or fruit, to serve

Preheat oven to 130°C (260°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and mix to combine. Spread in an even layer on the baking sheet and bake for 1 hour.

Let the granola cool completely before breaking it into rough chunks. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. The granola will keep for up to 1 week. Personally, I think that, like many other granolas as well, the flavor develops overnight.

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Now excuse me, I have some major sunbathing to do before tonight's nerve-wrackingly exciting World Cup match...

Hope you are well and sun-kissed wherever you roam in the world.

Saying Thank You & Having Ice Cream For Breakfast...Well, Kind Of

You may have noticed that badge on the sidebar. Maybe you also saw my updated March Love&Inspiration post. Or you stumbled upon my euphoric/totally perplexed tweets (poor you) or my instagram pic...oh and I surely mentioned it on Facebook as well. It was a truly surreal Monday night. I'm still pinching myself just to check I'm not sleeping. If this is a dream, it's a pretty realistic director's cut...

I'm extremely honored to be nominated for a Best Food Blog Award from Saveur Magazine, in the category Best New Blog. 'OMG'  has been my mantra for the last couple of days. I'm truly over the moon about the nomination. For you who don't know what the Saveur Best Food Blog Awards are about, well, the music industry has the Grammys, the film industry the Oscars, and we food bloggers, we have the Saveur BFBAs. I still don't know how I ended up being nominated with all those super talented people; people I look up to. But there I am. BOOM!

I want to thank you for all your support, cheers, and congrats. For making my recipes. For reading this humble space of mine, for leaving comments, and for being such a constant source of inspiration. It's truly special to be honored for something you have created yourself. For something you have not only invested time in but that you've done with a big heart.

Thank you.

If you would like to vote and send me to Vegas for the Best Food Blog Awards party (Saveur will fly the winners to Vegas for free. I know, totally crazy.), please click the badge on top or on the sidebar. You'll need to register to Saveur, but it's straight forward, and there won't be any spam emails or anything. You can vote until April 9th which is next Wednesday.

But let's move on to today's recipe, shall we? I have a huge crush on it. It makes my pupils dilate, and my heart flutters like hummingbird wings when I have a spoon of it. There's berries in it which does not only turn it into a bright, cheerful color but makes it a vitamin bomb too.

As some of you already know, I often have yogurt with homemade granola, berries, and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey for breakfast. Nothing special there, but at least it's delicious. However, after I stumbled upon this recipe, all I saw in my morning bowl were the ingredients for something so much more fun. I mean, who doesn't want to have ice cream for breakfast, right? Well, maybe not real ice cream but something that totally feels like ice cream but isn't. Does this make any sense to you? [I'm sure the BFBAs are messing up with my brain...]

However, I didn't want any bananas in my wannabe ice cream. Those are reserved for milkshakes only (right, dad?). Adding bananas would yield in a firmer consistency, but I've always preferred my ice cream half frozen anyway. So all berries. I chose bilberries cause I still needed to clean my freezer from last summer's berries. Some of you may wonder "How much berries does this girl have in her freezer?". The answer is: way too much. It was a good summer with lots of berry picking trips. I felt the urge to spice it up with cardamom cause bilberries and cardamom are such a wonderful flavor pairing. And then maple syrup. Yesss.

Because we're talking about breakfast here and granola is such a staple on my breakfast table, we'll of course sprinkle some on top. The granola you see in the pictures is this one. It's one of the best granolas I've ever made. I like to add millet and some extra seeds to my batch.

Ooooh, heaven!

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Frozen Bilberry Cardamom Yogurt

serves one hungry soul or two as a side (eat that croissant!)

I encourage you to use bilberries rather than 'regular' blueberries both for their vibrant color and for their taste. If you, however, can't find bilberries, blueberries will be just fine.

Side note: You may or may not have blue lips and a blue tongue after enjoying a bowl of this goddess of breakfast. I  strongly encourage you to have a look in the mirror before leaving the house, and to wash your teeth after rather than before breakfast. Just sayin'...

200 g (7 oz; 2 dl; ½ + ⅓ cups) Greek yogurt
200 g (7 oz; 3 dl; 1 ⅓ cups) + 35 g (1.2 oz; ½ dl; ¼ cup) frozen bilberries
¼ tsp ground cardamom (preferably freshly ground)
2 tbsp maple syrup

homemade granola, to serve
 

Blend yogurt, 200 g / 7 oz bilberries, cardamom, and maple syrup in a blender until smooth. Add the remaining blueberries and mix with a spoon (we want these berries to remain whole for some additional texture). Serve with granola on top. Cheers!

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