Granola has had a bit of a breakfast revival recently. From good old oats to grain-free paleo versions, there’s something for everyone.
I know it sometimes feels easier to just pick up a packet of cereal from the supermarket shelves, but the good news is that granola is super easy to make. There’s also something gratifying about making your own and tailoring it to your specific tastes (plus there’s no sneaky added sugar hiding in there).
Stock up on a few different ingredients and you’ll be able to play around with a few versions until you get a mix that’s just right for you.Β You can keep it light for summer or add lots of autumnal flavours as the weather cools down. I suggest making a big batch over the weekend and it will keep you going through the week.
And you don’t have to just eat granola at breakfast. Granola makes a tasty topping for a rhubarb crumble, an easy afternoon trail mix-style snack and is nice mixed in with a couple of scoops of creamy natural yoghurt after dinner.
The main ingredient of my granola recipe, and what makes it golden, is linseed. I love linseed; it’s full of good fat, fills you up nicely and has a lovely crunch. It’s also very cheap which is an added bonus. It’s best to soakΒ first to make it a bit easier to digest.
Play around with the flakes, fruits and nuts you decide to add. I’ve included quantities to give you a sense of proportions, but this is not a recipe that you need to be too precise with. The measures are approximate so if you have a little more or little less of things it won’t make too much difference.
If you have a go at making your own golden granola I’d love to hear what your add. Just pop a note in the comments section to share your flavourite flavour mixes.
Golden Granola
(gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free)
About 8-10 small breakfast servings (it fills 2 medium or 1 large container)
150g golden or brown linseed
115g gluten free oats (sprouted if possible)
115g buckwheat flakes
25g sunflower seeds
25g desiccated coconut
1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cinnamon
100g mixed dried fruit (I used chopped dried apricots, golden berries, mulberries and strawberries)
25g nuts Β (I added a mix of almonds and coconut flakes)
25g cacao nibs
1. Put linseeds in a bowl and cover with about 250ml of water. Stir, cover and leave to soak for 1-2 hours.Β All the water should be absorbed andΒ will leave the linseed nice and sticky.
2. Preheat your oven to 160Β°C (140Β°C fan oven) and line a baking tray with baking parchment (it’s best to use one with a little rim to stop things spilling over). Put theΒ soaked linseed into a big bowl and add the flakes, sunflower seeds,Β desiccated coconut, cinnamon, honey and olive oil. Mix together well – stick your hands in if that’s easier!
3. Spread the mixture over the tray in a layer. Leave it fairly rough as ideally you want to have a few clumps. Pop in the oven for 30 minutes. Open the oven and stir a couple times so that it bakes evenly.
4. Take the tray out of the oven and sprinkle over nuts, nibs and dried fruit. Mix throughΒ the granola base and put back in the oven for 10 minutes. After this remove from the tray from the oven and let the granola cool completely before putting it in an airtight container.Β ItΒ should keep forΒ a couple of weeks.
Alternative flavour options
–Β Add a teaspoon of ground ginger and 1/2 teaspoon of chilli flakes for a spicy kick
– To add a bit of fragrance, grind up the seeds from 2-3 cardamom pods and mix through
– Use pumpkin or sesame seeds instead of sunflower seeds
– Go tart with a mix of dried cranberries, cherries and inca berries
– Substitute olive oil with coconut oil (melted)
– Chopped pecans or walnuts are good breakfast nut options instead of almonds
