Vegan Cinnamon Buckwheat Clusters

Buckwheat. Regardless of whether you've been cooking for ten years or two minutes, surely you've heard of this vegan staple. It is known to reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure, increase blood flow, prevent gallstones, is chock full of magnesium and fiber, gluten-free, wheat-free...shall I continue?

One of the most astounding things, to me, is the fact that this tiny seed has so much protein. In fact, one cup of buckwheat contains 23 mg of protein. If you're a woman, that's two more milligrams than your daily recommended value. This seed is so healthy that it is constantly appearing on "Top 5 Superfoods" and "Healthiest Foods" lists.
So, where can you find this tiny seed? Surely it can't be cheap.
Alas, you are wrong!
Whole Foods sells raw buckwheat groats in the bulk section, but if you don't have a WF near you there is no reason to fret! You can easily find these superfood seeds online or at a local store near you.
Now, time for a way to use these beauties!

Vegan Cinnamon Buckwheat Clusters
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Bake Time: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients:
-1 cup raw buckwheat groats
-1/3 cup agave nectar
-2 tsp coconut sugar
-1 tsp pure ground cinnamon

Steps:
1) Preheat the oven to 300 F
2) In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients

3) Mix with a spoon until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. This should not be a long process, but it must be well done to ensure all the groats are thoroughly coated in the mixture.

4) Spread the coated groats over parchment paper on a baking sheet. Make sure there is only a single layer of the groats.

5) Bake for 25-30 minutes, depending on how crunchy you want the clusters. If you want them crunchier, bake for 30 minutes. If you want them less crunchy bake for 25 minutes. 

6) Upon taking out of the oven, you'll need to almost immediately take out a spatula and begin lifting them up. Because the mixture is so sticky, once it begins drying it will stick horribly to the paper and cause you a mess! I simply took the back of the spatula and scraped it along the groats, lifting them in the process. 

7) In this shape, allow the groats 5-10 minutes to cool. After that, scrape them into a container and store for safekeeping! 

Your end result should be tiny, breakable clusters. You can use them to top delicious banana icecream bowls, on top of your yogurt as a granola, as a topping for your morning oatmeal, or even sprinkled over fruit for an afternoon treat. Regardless of how you end up using these delicious, warming, cinnamon-infused clusters, one thing is sure: you will love them!