Whipping up a batch of homemade granola is one of the easiest ways to transform breakfast from a functional bowl of cereal to something that you'll actually look forward to.
Cereal is the go-to breakfast for many of us because it's quick, easy and requires little thought in the bleary-eyed early morning. But shop-bought varieties are often high in sugar and salt. They can contain dodgy hydrogenated oils and not enough protein or good fats to keep energy levels stable until lunch. Considering all this, they're also pretty expensive.
This granola bears no resemblance to those cereals. It has slow energy releasing oats, hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds for vitamins and minerals, anti-microbial and satiating coconut oil, and high fibre prunes. Cinnamon, my all time favourite spice, brings warmth, sweetness and blood sugar balancing chromium. And once you've bought the ingredients, it costs less to make it in batches than what you'd spend on cereal boxes. All in all, it's guaranteed to put your shop-bought cereal to shame.
The granola would be delicious alone with nut milk, or you could make it into something pretty spectacular with some raspberry puree and natural yoghurt. Either way, it will last you for breakfast all week.
The quantities in this recipe will make enough granola for about 5 servings and you'll have enough raspberry puree to go with that amount.
Hazelnut granola
Ingredients
2 cups rolled oats (I use gluten free)
2tbsp coconut oil
1tsp maple syrup
2 heaped tbsp desiccated coconut
1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
1tbsp pumpkin seeds
5 chopped prunes
2tsp ground cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 150 degrees (fan assisted). In a large saucepan, melt the coconut oil and stir in the maple syrup. Remove from the heat and stir in the oats, making sure they are coated in the oil. Add all the other ingredients and mix well.
Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and spread the mixture over it. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until golden, checking and turning the granola every 10 minutes or so to make sure it doesn't burn.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool, before transferring to an airtight container.
Raspberry puree
Ingredients
125g raspberries (and a few extra for topping)
1tbsp lemon juice
Blitz the raspberries and lemon juice in a food processor until you have a smooth liquid. Store in an airtight jar in the fridge. Will keep for a few days.
To serve, mix a tablespoon of the raspberry puree with some natural yoghurt and layer the granola over the top. Add a sprinkle of bee pollen and a couple of raspberries.