If you follow me on Instagram you will probably have worked out by now that I love breakfast. I also love brunch, lunch, dinner and everything in between, but I think breakfast is probably my preferred meal of the day. One of my favourite weekend rituals is to make my own granola for the week ahead. My job means that my working hours are pretty varied - one day I'll be up at the crack of dawn and out the door in less than an hour, other days I might work from home and have more time to have a relaxed, mindful breakfast, before getting on with my day. If I have a big jar of home made granola in the pantry I know I'll always have something super-nourishing and delicious for breakfast, no matter how short on time I am. I wanted to share my current favourite recipe with you.
Ingredients
500g organic jumbo oats
200g whole nuts, roughly chopped (I usually use a mixture of almonds, pecans and walnuts)
30g shredded coconut
a sprinkling of sesame seeds
zest of 1 lemon (preferably unwaxed, otherwise scrubbed)
2 tbspns butter
2 tbspns coconut oil
2 tbspns maple syrup
2 tbspns honey
150g dried fruit (I usually use a mixture of cranberries, raisins, sultanas, strawberries, apricots)
Method
Preheat the oven to 190C (170C fan ovens). In a large bowl, mix together the oats, chopped nuts, seeds, shredded coconut and lemon zest. In a small saucepan, heat the coconut oil, butter and maple syrup over a low heat until just mixed. Let it cool slightly before pouring over the oats mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine, making sure everything is well coated.
Pour the mixture into a large roasting tray, lightly oiled with sunflower or coconut oil. Drizzle over the honey and mix again to coat, then spread evenly in the tray. Bake for about 45 mins or until golden brown, checking and turning regularly so it cooks evenly. Remove from the oven and mix in the dried fruit while the granola is still hot. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes if you like the fruit to be a bit chewy, otherwise set aside to cool completely before storing in a large airtight jar.
My favourite way to eat it is with a dollop of Greek yoghurt, banana slices, berries, a drizzle of honey and a blob of nut butter. It is also amazing as a topping for an acai bowl.
The great thing about granola is you can mess around with it and make it your own. The options are endless! I hope you love this recipe and I'd love to hear about yours.
Marina x