As it’s New Year’s Eve I decided some spring cleaning was in order. New year, new beginnings n all that. So off I marched into the kitchen to start there. Sponge cloth and cleaning spray in hand, I opened the cupboards, and only moments later was busy making some homemade granola. I don’t know how these things happen. They just do. Spontaneous cooking is often the best kind. It makes for a truly happy moment, rummaging through one’s larder to find a perfect combination of ingredients to make something nourishing to eat. Homemade breakfast of granola is also on the list of feel-good, body-energising, tummy-happy foods. I confess, I ate ice cream for breakfast yesterday.
Eventually I did get the cleaning done and the granola made and even some reflective journal thoughts written. Reflecting on the year past is a beautiful gift to give oneself. Whatever has happened; whatever accomplishments, upsets, failures, victories, happy moments and sad; to stand and take stock of those things is to allow for pride and a pat on the back, to allow for grieving and gratitude, to allow for forgiveness and letting go, to allow for an acknowledgement: this is me, this is my life and this is where I’m at. Tomorrow, I shall be spending with friends to create the coming year and all that we would love to see unfold. I’m excited about that for two reasons; creation is always fun and I’ll be fed by Marc, whose culinary talents are too wonderful for words. Along with a bottle of wine I think I’ll take some truffles. Mmm… truffles. Perhaps I’ll blog about those later.
Anyway, I digress. See below for the granola recipe from ‘Good Food’. It was super quick to make and easily ‘customisable’ in that you can experiment with dried fruits or seeds, different types of honey or even spices. Cinnamon works a treat. Whilst the recipe instructs to allow time for cooling, my own patience when it comes to food is virtually non existent so I tucked into the granola as soon as it emerged from the oven. I also grated some 70% good quality dark chocolate onto mine. I’m not suggesting for one moment that you do the same. I’m just saying, I did.
Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil (I used avocado oil)
125ml maple syrup
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
300g rolled oats
50g sunflower seeds
4 tbsp sesame seeds
50g pumpkin seeds
100g flaked almonds
100g dried berries (I used cranberries)
50g coconuts flakes or desiccated coconut
Method
Heat the oven to 150C/fan 130C/Gas mark2.
Mix the oil, maple syrup, honey and vanilla in a large bowl.
Tip in all the remaining ingredients, except the dried fruit and coconut, and mix well.
Tip the granola onto two baking sheets and spread evenly.
Bake for 15 mins, then mix in the coconut and dried fruit, and bake for a further 15 mins.
Remove and scrape onto a flat tray to cool.