Puffed Amaranth Granolas (vegan-gluten free-low fat)

Since few days i was planning to bake granolas for breakfast but apart from oats and other grains, i wanted to bake something with Amaranth grains, as it was lying since long in my shelves. And believe me it was a big big biggg hit at my place and at my husband's work place too. Its Nutritional values are so attractive for weight watchers, so have to definitely bake it for my hubby. Its Low fat, low calorie, gluten free and sugar free Amaranth Granolas. All in one with a healthy, quick and easy meal in itself. 

I was already having puffed amaranth, but if you have unpuffed amaranth grain, than check below, popping amaranth.

Ingredients:

2 cups puffed amaranth
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup small chopped almonds
1/4 cup small chopped pistachios
1/4 cup small chopped dry figs

1/2 tsp green cardamom powder for flavor (Can also use cardamom  or vanilla essence, i personally prefer using cardamom powder)
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 tsp salt

Recipe:

• Pre-heat oven at 180 degree Celsius.
• In a large bowl, Mix all the above listed ingredients well together.
• Grease lightly, parchment paper in baking tray and spread the Amaranth Mixture equally all over in a tray.
• Bake it for 20-25 minutes in preheated oven at 180 degree Celsius. 
• If you prefer your granola to be more crunchy, bake little more, about 40-45 minutes while keeping continuous check to avoid burning. (Baking 40-45 minutes will form bars)
• Once baked, bring the tray out and allow the granola to cool. (If baking for 20-25 minutes, Granola will be little moist, if baking more than you will get granola bar pieces. As i myself prefer having granolas rather than its bar, so i end up baking for 25 minutes).

Amaranth Granola Parfait:

Granolas
Beaten yogurt/dahi-1cup

Small Chooped in to cube- 1 Mango

Pomegranate Grain- 1 cup

Small Chopped In to cube Sugar Melon-1 cup

Method:

In a glass, firstly layer the bottom with granola, than yogurt/ dahi, than fruits above. Repeat layering all, till the rim of the glass and here you are ready with your healthy Amaranth Granola Parfait for breakfast...

Puffed Amaranth Granola Parfait

Popping Amaranth:

Heat an aluminium pan on a medium flame, and empty 1/4 cup of amaranth grain in it. (1/4 cup of dry Amaranth yields 1 cup puffed amaranth)

Take any cotton cloth and press amaranth in a pan, you will notice after few minutes it will start popping. At that point, avoid pressing further and cover the pan with a lid on and keep tossing the pan. Once all the grains are popped up, turn the flame off. (Procedure for Popping amaranth is much similar popping popcorns)
This is how Puffed Amaranth looks like :