Granola

Ever on the look out for something different for breakfast I have had a go at making some Granola for me to eat in the morning before dashing off to work and as as segment of the breakfast menu.  For starters half a grapefruit or an orange, a bowl of this granola finished with a slice/slices of toast with home made marmalade or jam and a cup of tea or coffee,. Absolutely delicious.

The beauty of this type of recipe is that the ingredients can be changed to similar or alternative fruits/seeds and dried fruits especially if you are not keen on a particular ingredient.  It just adds your own twist to something that is easily made and tailored for your own use. Not only that you can make as little or as much as you want, to meet your family's needs or just individual needs.  The next question is how do you store this.  [I had an old sweetie jar that I used to keep the Granola in,but unfortunately the jar got broken just before Christmas.  So I am now on the hunt to replace this and also probably add a couple of more as well as I also buy corn kernels in quantity for making home made popcorn].

Not only that if you present it nicely in a jar or pretty bag it can be given as part of a foodie gift or as part of a Christmas hamper. I tend to keep a lot of basic ingredients in for breakdmaking and baking and readily have these ingredients to hand.  So if you did forget to buy someone's favourite cereal and the shops are shut this could easily be made from your cooking/baking stash to breach the void.  But its so tasty you will want to make this on  a regular basis.  I am glad I tried this - and I  have been alternating it with making a batch of home made muesli too.

Ingredients:

350g clear honey
4 tablespoons of sunflower oil
200g dried apricots
250g dried dates Medjool dates are the scrummiest
100g dessicated coconut
100g sunflower seeds
50g toasterd sesame seeds (helps release the oil and gives the lovliest nutty flavour)
100g pumpkin seeds
400g rolled oats
100g pecans
100g whole almonds
100g dried apple pieces (Mine is home dried apple)
100g golden sultanas
100g cranberries/blueberries or other dried fruits)

Method


Prepare the oven by preheating it to 180 degress C/350 degrees F/Gas Mark 4.


Roughly chop the almonds and pecnas and tip them into a large mixing bowl.  Add the oats all the different seeds and the dessicated coconut and roughly chop dates and apricots and rest of dried fruits add to the bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.

Heat the sunflower oil and honey in a small pan until the honey is very runny but not boiling Pour over the oaty mixture in the bowl and coat evenly.


Cover a large roasting tin with a sheet of baking parchment add the granola and cook in the preheated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes.  Stir the mixture regularly to ensure that the mixture browns evenly. Once it is golden and starting to crisp remove from the oven and leave to cool completely before decanting into a large storage jar.


Serve with a fruit compote with  natural yogurt sprinkled on the yogurt.  Or


Serve as you would normal cereal with nice cold milk.  You could also put some fresh chopped or sliced fruit in or some blueberries.


Scrummy

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