Banana nut cluster granola

I had a craving for granola the other day.
And by chance, we had some bananas/bananae almost rotting in the fridge. So I put two and two together and made some cluster-y granola.

Bananas are the unsung heroes of the fruit world. Even when beyond-ripe and mushy, they can be useful - sub out oil or applesauce for mashed bananas, or cut down on the sugar and egg content with blended bananas.

A note on substitutions - not that I'm an expert by any means - know the function of the original ingredient in the recipe. For example, in a cake the oil coats the flour particles and separates it from liquid (e.g. the milk or other wet ingredients) and prevents gluten development in flour. Gluten is what gives breads and bagels their heavy structure and chewy texture. This isn't something you want in something with a tenderer crumb, like shortbreads  (hence the "rubbing-in" of butter to flour. More on that in another post). The oil's function in granola is to coat the oat flakes and allow better conduction of heat that is needed to toast them.

The bananas multi-task here as a sweetener (caramelising under heat) and a binder. Just as the proteins in egg whites coagulate to bring together ingredients in a burger patty, so too do the carbohydrates in banana form a colloid and thicken the mixture. Finally, they replace the oil in what is usually an oil-heavy granola recipe. That is, if you discount the peanut butter.

Peanut butter + granola = 💕

But wait. How does a polysaccharide replace a lipid? Why is applesauce an acceptable substitute for vegetable oil?

In many cases, it isn't. But apparently, in a quickbread the sugars partially deplete the liquids, using water to hydrolyse into monosaccharides, and so compete with the flour for moisture. In granola, the starchy and non-starchy sugars coat the oat flakes and insulate them from heat, allowing them to brown nicely.

The clumpy quality of these oats also lends itself to the banana + peanut butter mix being more viscous than straight-up oil.

All this makes for a meal/snack that empowers me to drag myself out of bed in the morning.

This isn't the mealsy kind of granola that cafés sprinkle lackadaisically on banana bread or whatever. This is hearty, crunchy, and protein-packed thanks to the mixture of peanut butter and a variety of nuts. This makes an excellent edible gift, and if you amp up the nut butter and oats you can turn it into granola bars for heftier treats. The recipe is good both ways, in my book.

Banana nut cluster granola
Makes about 6 servings, or about 4 cups

Dry
2.5 cups rolled oats (not instant)
0.5 cups raw whole almonds
0.75 cups blend of other nuts ad seeds (I used pistachios, walnuts and black sesame)
0.25 cups dried fruits (I used cranberries and Thompson raisins)

Wet
2 tbsp olive oil (or coconut oil)
2 tbsp peanut butter, unsalted
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 very ripe medium bananas (the riper the better), mashed
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 320F or 160C. Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set aside. Combine the oil, peanut butter and maple syrup in a small saucepan, heat to melt and stir to homogenize. Cool the wet mixture, then add vanilla extract and mashed bananas, and stir to incorporate. If you prefer fewer banana chunks, blend for 3 minutes in a blender. Add this wet mixture to the dry, making sure that the oats are fully coated and moistened. Transfer to a lined baking tray and press the mixture down evenly. Bake without stirring until the oats are golden, or about 40 min. Use your nose! A waft of peanut butter/bananas should indicate that the granola is done/will be done in about 5 min or so.

One mistake I always make is to leave the granola lying in the baking tray too long after they're done. Transfer them out ASAP to prevent them from getting soggy from condensation.

You can eat them as is, like bars, or break them up into clusters after they're cool. I like to have them for breakfast alongside fresh fruit and yoghurt.

Enjoy!