Granola is often thought of as an expensive breakfast option; making it yourself can mean you can afford to eat it every day!
Homemade Granola
I love granola! Granola with a dribble of honey and a big spoon of Greek yoghurt on top is my favourite breakfast and often my dessert! The luxurious blend of nuts and oats, mixed with spices, floats my boat! My gripe is that decent granola is so flipping expensive, so I make my own!
Making my own allows me to put the ingredients I like in the blend, allows me to use up ingredients I already have in the cupboard and is, even after buying potentially lots of different ingredients, cheaper in the long run, plus it tastes better than any shop bought granola I've found to date!
Below is the recipe I use for my granola. it's super flexible as to the ingredients I add, so it can be adjusted as you see fit.
Ingredients:
9oz rolled/jumbo oats
4oz mixed nuts and seeds, such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc. I swap any change depending on what's on offer at the supermarket.
2oz shredded coconut (optional)
2oz honey or maple syrup
2oz melted coconut oil or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
4oz Organic Dried Fruits such as raisins, cranberries, chopped apricots, chopped dates, chopped figs, etc. I tend to buy the more premium fruit (often bought when on a special deal), and frankly, it's so much nicer than the cheap and cheerful fruit you can buy, but if you are trying to stick to a budget, cheaper fruit still works!
Instructions:
Preheat the oven:
Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Mix dry ingredients:
Combine the rolled oats, mixed nuts and seeds, and shredded coconut in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
Add wet ingredients:
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the honey or maple syrup, melted coconut oil or vegetable oil ), vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt (1/4 teaspoon) until well combined.
Combine dry and wet ingredients:
Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients in the large bowl. Stir well until all the dry ingredients are evenly coated with the wet mixture.
Bake the granola:
Spread the granola mixture evenly onto the prepared baking sheet. Press it down slightly with a spatula to create an even layer.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until the granola is golden brown and crispy. It doesn't need to be super brown to be crisp; it'll continue to crisp up after it's been taken out of the oven.
Add dried fruits:
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and sprinkle the mixed dried fruits (4 ounces) over the hot granola. Press the dried fruits gently into the granola.
Cool and store:
Allow the granola to cool completely on the baking sheet.
Once cooled, transfer the granola to an airtight container or jar for storage. Store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.