Chai spiced buckwheat crunchies recipe by Christine Bailey

"This wonderful cereal alternative is also delicious as a healthy snack and is low in sugar," says nutritionist Christine Bailey.

"Soaking the buckwheat starts the sprouting process, which makes it much easier to digest. The addition of tahini is a perfect way to add a rich creaminess to the texture."

Brain benefits

A staple in both Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds. The seeds are rich in lignans, a type of plant compound known as polyphenol, and they are known to help support cardiovascular health and the circulation, and to lower inflammation.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 bags of chai tea
• 200g/7oz/11⁄4 cups buckwheat groats, rinsed
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon a pinch of ground ginger
• 30g/1oz/1⁄3 cup raw cacao powder
• 2 tbsp yacon syrup or rice malt syrup
• 60g/21⁄4oz/heaping 1⁄4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 tbsp tahini
• 1 tbsp lucuma powder (optional)

Method

1. Make up the chai tea with 300ml/101⁄2 oz/scant 11⁄3 cups boiling water and the tea bags.
2. Put the buckwheat in a large bowl. Cover with the tea, adding more water if needed to ensure that it is fully covered. Leave to soak overnight.
3. Rinse the groats well and allow them to drain in a sieve/fine-mesh strainer. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and line two baking sheets with baking parchment.
4. Put the groats in a large bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly to make sure all the buckwheat is fully coated. Spread the mixture thinly on to the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 20–30 minutes until crisp, stirring occasionally so that the mixture does not burn. Leave to cool, then store in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.

Recipe from The Brain Boost Diet Plan by Christine Bailey, published by Nourish. On sale on 18 January 2018.

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