Customisable Granola Recipe
Ingredients
4 Cups Rolled oats
Pinch sat Salt
1/3 Cups Ground almonds
1/2 Cup Honey
1/2 Cup Coconut oil
1 and half tsp Vanilla Essence
1/2 cup Raisins
1/2 cup Apricots
1/4 cup Golgi berries
Optional
Dates
Prunes
Dried mango
Cashew nuts
Pine nuts
Shredded coconut
Who doesn't like granola? Wherever I make this at home it lasts less time than it takes to cook. The best thing is that the recipe is so simple, it doesn't matter if your missing ingredients or you are short on time, it's always possible to make a quick batch of granola. It is the perfect way to increase your carbohydrate intake and add some excitement to your breakfast or to a late-night snack.
It's very easy to adjust ingredients. In our house, everyone likes different granola so I just keep the base of honey, oats and coconut oil the same and mix up the dried fruit and nuts.
But if you are missing something from the cupboard this is a recipe where you can easily substitute. I have listed below other ingredients you could use instead of the base.
E.G. I have used walnut oil, olive oil instead of coconut oil and they all do the same thing in regards to binding the ingredients but all add a different flavour, I would swap these ingredients exactly 1:1. This is the same with the sweetness, I have used date syrup, honey, coconut sugar nectar and maple syrup, which add just a different crunch and sweetness.
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and line a baking tray with some greaseproof paper (this just saves scrubbing pans for hours after!)
I like to start by mixing all the wet ingredients in one bowl. Weigh out the honey and coconut oil (melt in the microwave for 10-30 seconds if needed) then mix in the vanilla essence.
Next add the oats, a pinch of salt and ground almonds. If you like the fruit chewy and caramelized you can add this in now. I like to add the larger fruit in, like the apricots and the raisins after 8 minutes of cooking the granola.
Spread the combined mixture on the prepared baking tray and give it a little shake so it lies even
Let it bake for around 20- 25 mins. Take it out halfway to add the raisins and Golgi berries, give it a good mix to stop the corners cooking too fast.
Everyone's oven is slightly different so make sure you keep an eye on it the first time you make it just in case it cooks too fast
My top tips
Don’t over cook it, when it has turned a nice golden colour take it out, it will crisp up as it cools down.
Once it has cooled store it in an air tight container to keep it crunchy
Ideas of how you could change the recipe:
-The oat size some times its nice having a mix of sizes of the oats
-The Sweetner: Honey, Maple syrup, Date syrup, agave
-The Oil: Walnut oil, Olive oil, Coconut oil
-Nuts: Brazil nuts, Almonds, pistachio nuts, walnuts
-Essence and flavours: Orange, Vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg
Dried fruit: Cranberries, apricots, dry freezed strawberries, dried mango
