This is the best way I know of to use up odds and ends of packets and nuts and seeds, especially those that have gone a little soft. It also makes delicious use of an egg white. The buckwheat isn’t essential, but it adds a lovely depth of flavour and crunch. Enjoy as a rich chocolate-scented breakfast cereal or a crunchy topping for ice cream and/or cooked fruit.

Makes: about 350g

Preparation: 5 minutes

Cooking: 1 hour

Ingredients:

3 tbsp buckwheat (or mixed seeds)

100g porridge oats (rolled oats)

60g mixed seeds

60g mixed nuts, roughly chopped (not too small)

40g soft light brown sugar

15g cocoa powder

A good pinch of fine sea salt

80g honey

2 tsp tahini

2 tsp olive oil

1 egg white

A handful of dried fruit, chopped if large (optional)

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 150°C/130°C fan and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
• Put all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir well with a fork to distribute everything evenly.
• Mix together the honey, tahini, oil and egg white. Pour into the nut mixture and stir to coat all the dry ingredients.
• Spread the mixture out as thinly and evenly as possible on the prepared baking sheet – use the back of a dessertspoon. Bake for 30 minutes then remove from the oven and stir the mixture well, turning it over so the mixture at the bottom is at the top.
• Bake for a further 30 minutes, turning again after 15 minutes.
• Leave to cool on the baking sheet – it will crisp up nicely – then stir through the dried fruit.
  
  Adapted from Second Helpings (Quadrille)