With the amount of beans I eat, it’s time to put my aquafaba to helpful use. I’ve been playing with aquafaba over the last few months, and I think this Super Crunchy Oil-Free Granola is my favorite yet! The starchy bean water binds the Granola to form clumps of crunchy crunch with no excess sugars and oils, similar to traditional Granola. The final product isn’t sour or sweet like beans.

I suggest using the liquid in canned chickpeas instead of any other bean. Chickpea aquafaba is the most neutral or with the most minimal amount of flavor or color. Be sure to stay clear of kidney or black bean aquafaba since they’re dark in hue. I’ve tried aquafaba made from cannellini beans previously. However, chickpea-based aquafaba isn’t as flavorful.

WHAT IS THE CREAM OF TARTAR?

Cream of tartar, also known as tartaric acid, is an acid in powder form. It is an excellent ingredient to have in the pantry in the back. It can be used for various applications at home, such as being the ingredient that converts baking soda into baking. In this recipe for granola, cream of tartar can be utilized to help stabilize the aquafaba and help it whip into a firm foam. With a small amount of cream of tartar, it could take as long as ten minutes to beat the aquafaba properly. If you add cream of tartar, it is only three minutes.

SUPER CRUNCHY OIL-FREE GRANOLA SUBSTITUTES AND OPTIONS

This recipe is highly adaptable and an ideal option to use up any dry goods left in your kitchen. The spice mix and grains such as nuts, seeds, and cereals can all be substituted to suit your tastes.

If you are substituting grains or nuts for this dish, ensure that you get 3 cups of dry goods with 2 cups of grains per cup of nuts and seeds. Other seeds and nuts that could be substituted are sesame, sunflower, chia walnuts, pecans, walnuts, or hemp.

SWEETEN IT UP!

I created the Super Crunchy Oil Free Granola significantly lower in sugar. You can adjust the amount of sugar according to your taste (the uncooked Granola is safe to eat). You could also make maple syrup a substitute for the brown sugar used in the recipe, but it makes the mixture slightly more moist and results in a more lengthy baking process.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup aquafaba ($0.25)

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar ($0.01)

1 Cup brown sugar ($0.16)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract ($0.14)

2 cups of rolled oats ($0.33)

1/4 cup oat bran ($0.18)

1/2 cup of ground flaxseed ($0.12)

1/4 cup of almonds slivered ($0.48)

1/4 cup pepitas ($.060)

1/2 tsp cinnamon ($0.05)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric ($0.05)

1/4 tsp ground ginger ($0.03)

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves ($0.02)

INSTRUCTIONS

The oven should be preheated to 350oF. Cover a baking sheet using parchment.

Add the cream of tartar into a bowl. Then, use an electric mixer, stand mixer, or hand mixer. Whip the mixture to stiff, high peaks. After the aquafaba has been whipped, add vanilla extract and brown sugar, and continue to beat for 30 seconds until brown sugar has dissolved in the foam.

Mix the rolled oats, the oat bran, ground flaxseed, pepitas, and almonds with turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in another bowl. Stir until combined.

Mix the oats in the bowl and the sweetened and whipped aquafaba. Mix until all the dry ingredients are coated with the aquafaba.

Sprinkle the granola mix on the baking sheet that has been lined so that it’s in one layer but not packed too profoundly.

Bake the Granola for 20 minutes, take it out of the baking, and stir it quickly. Bake for another 10 minutes, then start it another time. Bake another 5 minutes or until the Granola is completely dry with deep golden brown edges brown.

Let the Granola cool, then store it in an airtight container at room temperature.