Have you often walked around the supermarket and stood in the breakfast isle a little too long trying to decide what to buy? If you’re health conscious and understand food labels, you’ll be staying away from the artificial cereals that contain sugar and salt. You’ll be trying to look for something satisfying that won’t hinder either weight loss or a healthy lifestyle. This can be difficult! Especially when there are so many tempting alternatives trying to draw you in.
My problem was sticking to the same breakfast each morning. I got bored with what I was eating. It’s good to constantly change the flavours you are consuming and to keep your tastebuds interested. Have a smoothie one morning, a bagel the next, delicious granola the day after that. The best thing about this… you can make them all at home! You know exactly what is going in to the food you are eating; nothing artificial. If you’re brave enough, you can even make your own bagels! (If you saw my post a couple of months ago, you will know that this is not something I am very good at…)
Granola… Now this is something I can make! And I believe it tastes 100% better homemade than the shop bought variety! Each time you make it, it will taste different and that’s the beauty of it! No bowl is ever the same 🙂
Once you’ve given it a whirl, you’ll be making many variations and storing them ready for the breakfast on the go pots, the lazy weekend mornings in bed, the early morning office meetings… you get the picture.
Here’s a simple recipe to get you started if you’re a newbie, and if you’re already a pro, this granola is particularly good (if I do say so myself).
Makes 1 large jar
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups of oats
- 1 cup of chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup flaked almonds (or whole, chopped)
- 1/2 cup flax seed (optional)
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup of chopped dried dates
- 1 cup of chopped dried figs
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 3 tbsp agave or maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Method:
- Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl. Mix well.
- Melt coconut oil, syrup, cinnamon and ginger. Add to dry ingredients. Mix well.
- Spread evenly on a baking sheet and place in a pre-heated oven for 30-40 minutes at 180C.
- Keep turning the granola so it toasts evenly and does burn!
- Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Stir in dried dates and figs.
- Store in an air-tight container to keep fresh.
SERVING SUGGESTION (My favourite way to eat Granola) – Yoghurt of choice in a bowl, fresh fruit chopped up, a sprinkling of chia seeds and a big tablespoon or 2 of granola on top. Delicious! And keeps you going until lunch! (Most of the time…)
You can try many different variations depending on what dried fruit and nuts you have in at the time.
There is so much goodness to be soaked up when eating homemade granola. You can add ingredients depending on what your desired outcome is. Need an energy boost in the morning? Post-Workout granola? Feeling fruity? In need of an injection of iron? Or vitamins? Or protein? You can tailor your granola to serve a particular purpose as well as leave your tastebuds tingling and your tummy satisfied.
If you have a requirement but aren’t sure what ingredients fulfil this, please get in touch. I would be happy to help. Would love to help in-fact 🙂
With my next batch of granola, I will post my variation. At the moment, I am swaying towards dried apricots, pistachios, and vanilla. My mouth is already watering at the thought! I haven’t even tucked into this jar yet! You’ll never be able to call breakfast dull again!
Love and Lemons xxx
Lemons Kitchen 