We can all get bored of cereal over time, and store bought always contains so much sugar! Not naming any names, but some brands can contain up to 50% of your sugar intake in one serving. What we may think is a healthy breakfast can end up being one of the worst things to eat to start the day off.
A really good alternative and one that I am obsessed with is granola. It still contains sugar, but if it is homemade then the only sugar it should contain in from any dried fruit that is added. But these are good sugars! Homemade just tastes so much better than store bought as well as being quick and easy to make. You can really taste the difference in homemade and store bought and the difference is just astounding, and it is so much more affordable.
As you can probably tell, I am a huge fan of granola and cannot sing its praises enough, I always have it out and prepared on the breakfast table and the kids just love it. Plus, it’s something that they can actually assist in making because there are no knives involved!
So here is how I make my homemade granola, this amount can be stored in an airtight container and will last for around two weeks at room temperature. Once you see how easy it is, you’ll wonder why you ever bought from the store!
Ingredients:
- 700g rolled oats
- 300g dried raspberries
- 150g coconut flakes
- 150g sunflower seeds
- 150g almond slivers
- 100ml honey
- 75g brown sugar
- 50ml coconut oil
- Pinch of cinnamon
Method:
- Stir all dry ingredients except the sugar and cinnamon together to distribute evenly
- In a separate bowl, mix together the honey, brown sugar and coconut oil and gently stir in the cinnamon
- Pour the liquid mix over the oat mix and stir until well coated
- Place the mixture into a tray and pat down so it is flat
- Bake in a 150-degree oven for 45 minutes, tossing once halfway through
- Let it cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
And there you have it. It is literally that simple! You can swap out the majority of ingredients for anything that takes your fancy, just make sure you always have some combination of rolled oats, cashews, walnuts, pecans, sliced almonds, slivered almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hazelnuts. And for dried fruit why not try cranberries, blueberries, blackberries, raisins, apricots, pineapple, orange… the list is endless!
You can also try different binding agents instead of honey. Maple syrup will make the granola without clusters, but be sure to leave out the cinnamon. Or try golden syrup for a smooth finish.
Whichever combination you choose, it’s sure to be a favourite with everyone, add to natural or greek yoghurt and flavour with jam for an impressive and quick breakfast!