Buckwheat Cereal with Orange and Almond

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups     Buckwheat groats
8 cups      Water
1 cup        Orange juice
1/2 cup  Almonds, raw, unsalted
2 tb          Olive Oil
1/3 cup   Honey
1 tb            Cinnamon
1tsp           Nutmeg
1 tsp          Vanilla
1 tb            Orange zest
¼ tsp        Salt

PREPARATION:

Place buckwheat groats in a large container with the water and let soak overnight (groats will double in size), or for at least 12 hours.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Pour orange juice into a small saucepan, simmer, and reduce to about a ¼ cup. Let cool.

Put almonds into food processor and slowly add olive oil to nuts while chopping. Process until almonds become a nut butter consistency.

Pour soaking buckwheat in a colander to strain. Rinse under running water until water coming from out of the strainer runs clear. Let groats sit a couple of minutes to fully drain water.

In a large bowl, combine orange juice reduction, almond butter, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, orange zest, and salt; stir to fully combine.  Add in buckwheat groats and stir to completely coat buckwheat groats.

Lightly coat sheet pan with cooking spray.  Thinly spread out cereal mixture with a rubber spatula.  Bake cereal in oven for about 20 minutes, gently flip cereal with spatula then bake another 20-35 minutes, or until cereal is completely dry.

Allow cereal to cool; place into an airtight container.  Can keep one week room temperature when well-sealed; keep in the refrigerator or freezer for longer storage.

Variation: substitute the orange juice and zest with blood orange instead- even better color and flavor!