A recipe for toasted buckwheat granola with dried wild blueberries, toasted almonds, popped amaranth with plenty of vanilla bean and cardamom, brought together with maple syrup.

Large flakes are falling, turning the brown into a pristine white yet again. This morning the kids ran around the neighborhood to check the tap lines in the sugar maple trees. Pots of already-collected sap are being readied for their sugaring off this weekend, and we are hoping for a few more days of running sap before the season’s end.

My kids are huddled together on my bed, reading silently for the first time all day after plenty of bickering and complaining about couch hogging throughout the morning. The first day of any break is always difficult to find the rhythm and flow of the house. With six bodies and 1100 square feet, we dance through the small spaces and often bump into each other along the way. Things seem to have quieted now that mid-afternoon has arrived.

I like my small house, with its often too close walls and lack of privacy. Sometimes the small space leads to vocal frustrations being aired, too tight corners leading to loud confrontations. Still, we’ve had more instances of laughter as a result of sharing one bathroom than irritations. It means choosing one movie for movie night, picking up after each other, respecting when someone else is using the available space. It requires us to be aware of each other in a way that requires respect for each other’s humanity.

We made a list of possible outings and activities for the week ahead, trips to museums, to local hiking trails, and art projects (making our own screen prints seems to have won), but first, we’re spending today here together. We’re unloading the dishwasher, five of us stuffed into the tiny kitchen while music plays and tomorrow’s breakfast toasts in the oven and large falling flakes give the view through the picture window a snow globe effect.

This blueberry almond buckwheat granola is the ideal accompaniment to a bowl of homemade Greek yogurt, a crunchy topping for a piece of whole wheat toast with nut butter served with a glass of milk for breakfast, or with sliced fruit and milk poured over the top. With the nutty toasted almonds, puffed amaranth, fragrant wild blueberries, and toasted buckwheat it’s a crunchy bite of summer no matter the time of year.

Blueberry Almond Buckwheat Granola

Yield: 5 cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons amaranth
• 2 cups buckwheat groats
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 3 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 vanilla bean pod, scraped
• 4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 cup dried blueberries

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Heat a stainless steel saucepan over medium-high heat. Add in the amaranth, cover, and pop for 10-20 seconds while continuously shaking the pan. Remove from heat and uncover.

In a medium bowl, add the popped amaranth, buckwheat groats, sliced almonds, chia seeds, cardamom, ginger, salt, and the vanilla bean seeds. Stir to combine.

Mix together the coconut oil and maple syrup. Pour over the granola mixture. Toss until all pieces are evenly coated.

Pour the granola mixture out onto a lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring at the halfway point, until granola is golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately stir in the dried blueberries.

Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container until ready to use. Serve with milk, over yogurt, as a trail mix, or on top of smoothie bowls.