Homemade Buckwheat Granola Recipe- Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free

You know what I find amusing? That people like myself are coined "granola moms", a synonym for hippy, crunchy, and natural, and yet this mama maybe bought 3 packages of granola in her whole life, and for the past 2 years hasn't eaten even the teeny tiniest little bit of granola. I mean, oats make me sick, yes, even gluten free oats....
But being the hippy, crunchy, natural mama that I am, I just had to rectify that and find some way to make granola, so that I could live up to my title...
So here it is, buckwheat granola. I've made it twice already, and its a terrific breakfast cereal alternative, that I served together with homemade sunflower milk and fresh fruit and my kids simply gobbled up. It would also go terrific with some homemade pudding, or homemade yogurt or kefir.

I got the idea originally when I saw the recipe for buckwheat crispies, and then expanded on it further to make buckwheat granola bars. And then I saw a recipe for raw sprouted buckwheat granola, which I didn't make, but inspired me to make this.
This recipe is basically a hodgepodge of a bunch of different recipes that I found for granola, with my own substitutions. And its a cheapo healthy breakfast, so that's just awesome.
And if you have no issue with oats, make your granola with rolled oats and make it even cheaper. :-D You won't regret it. It's pretty easy. And it's versatile so you can change it up to suit your tastes or your pocketbooks.
This is great because I can make a bunch at once and have breakfast ready to go for those mornings when I don't have the energy to cook a whole big meal, but still want something healthier (and cheaper) than boxed cereals.,

Homemade Buckwheat Granola Recipe- Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups raw buckwheat groats (not kasha) or rolled oats
1 1/2 tablespoons oil (any oil will do, or butter)
2 1/2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (or agave nectar, but thats bad for you)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons flax seeds
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dried fruit (optional)

Instructions:
1. If using buckwheat, heat the buckwheat in an ungreased pan for a few minutes, until they start to get toasted lightly and have a nice crunch. If using oats, skip this step.

2. Mix oil, honey, cinnamon, and salt until you have a uniform mixture.

3. Mix the buckwheat or oats with the seeds (see variations below).

4. Add the honey/oil mixture to the buckwheat/oats and mix well, ideally with your hands, ensuring that every last bit is covered with the oil and honey.

5. Place on an ungreased/lined cookie sheet, and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, stirring every so often so it doesnt burn.

6. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

7. Break up if necessary, and then mix with dried fruit, if using. If using larger dried fruits, like dried apricots or dates, etc... cup up the fruit with a pair of scissors so that the fruit are not much bigger than the size of a raisin.

Enjoy!

Variations:

Feel free to use nuts or other seeds for your granola. The only important part is that you keep the ratio of solids to honey/oil the same. You want 2 3/4 cups of solid ingredients, and that can be a mix of buckwheat, oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, flax seeds, almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc...

You can add your dried fruit before toasting, instead of after, but I find that makes them taste burnt, so I add them afterward.

Are you a crunchy granola mama? Do you actually eat granola? Are you a granola fan? How is your favorite way to eat granola? Have you ever made homemade granola before?
What is your typical breakfast? What do you eat for breakfast when you're in a rush?
Does this seem like a recipe you'd try? What variation would you use?