We LOVE breakfast here at Nutrition-Rocks, so we have created a delicious, wholesome granola you can make yourself in the mornings or, with Mother’s Day coming up (25th March - don't forget!) you could cook up a batch and give as a present – we all love homemade gifts!

Granola is often seen to be a ‘healthy’ breakfast option, but can be packed with hidden sugar and salt and on the flip side, the sugar-free muesli options can often lack flavour and oomph. Making your own is not only easy and quick, it gives you control of how much and type of fat and sugar you put in and can taste AMAZING. You can really play around with different dried fruits, seeds and flavours and make a large batch of it to have for the week. Personally we like it fresh and warm out of the oven with a dash of skimmed milk. 

*FOR A JAR –

Measure out the dry ingredients for it to fit. I used a 4 inch tall jar and the following amounts: 

• 150-200g Rolled Oats
• 2 tbsp. Ground linseed 
• 1 tbsp raw virgin coconut oil
• 3 tsp honey*
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 tsp powdered/dried ginger
• 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
• 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 Dried Pears (separate recipe)
• 60g Dry roasted hazelnuts
• Optional – dark chocolate flakes 40g,
• 3 x Stem ginger pieces, cut finely

1 SERVING

• 25g Rolled Oats 
• 2 tsp. Ground linseed  
• 2 tsp raw virgin coconut oil 
• 1 tsp honey*
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp powdered/dried ginger
• Sprinkle of sunflower seeds
• Sprinkle of pumpkin seeds
• Pinch salt
• Dried Pear (separate recipe) (roughly 1/3rd of a medium pear) 
• 5 Dry roasted hazelnuts
• As a treat: 1 x Stem ginger pieces (dry) and dark chocolate flakes

*Vegan option: Use Maple syrup instead

Mixing bowl & flat baking tray

HOW TO MAKE

With this particular recipe, it has toasted hazelnuts and dried pear. These need to be prepared before, but it is easy to buy lots of other dried fruits and nuts (opt for no added sugar/oil/salt if possible) in the supermarket. Drying your own fruit and roasting nuts is not only a cheaper option but also guarantees you won’t have any nasties added. 

DRIED PEAR

• This is super easy but takes a little time, slice the pear thinly and spread out on a baking tray; it doesn’t matter if slices touch each other.
• Put in the oven for 5 hours at 50°c. Check every so often and unstick the pear from the tray*

TOASTED HAZELNUTS

• Preheat oven to 180°c.
• Lay out your hazelnuts on a baking tray and put in the oven for 5-10 minutes.
• Check regularly; once they start turning a light golden colour they are done and can burn quickly

*(Note: Don’t put it in any higher heat, as the pear will actually cook & when sliced thinly, may burn. It’s a slow process but you can make a batch and save the rest in a jar for other recipes)

THE GRANOLA

• Preheat oven to 200°c.
• In a mixing bowl, mix the oats, linseed, salt, ginger and cinnamon together.
• Add the honey and coconut oil, using your fingertips massage the ingredients together so the oil and honey are completely mixed in. Add the seeds. (If you are using raisins or packaged dried fruits, you can add these in now too)
• Spread the mixture over the baking tray, so that all of the granola mix is sticking together and about a cm thick. 
• Put in the oven for 5-10 minutes, checking regularly. Once the edges are a dark brown, and the middle is light brown it is done. Do not overcook as the edges will burn. 
• While you are waiting for it to toast, you can cut the stem ginger and grate dark chocolate.
• Take out of the oven and leave to cool down on the tray at room temperature; this is where it’ll turn crispy so be patient! It’ll be cool enough to eat after 10 minutes…
• Add the roasted hazelnuts, dried pear, steam ginger and dark chocolate. 

For a present, wait until it is completely cool and pop it in a glass, air tight jar. Wrap in a ribbon and voila!* 

by Hannah Norris