…Hi.
Hello again. Oui, c’est moi, out of hibernation once more. The past several months have been so frustrating, so soul-destroying, so horrifyingly difficult, not to mention dull, that I can’t bear to write about them. Instead, I’m going to write about a new love of mine. For while my communication skills have all but deserted me recently, one thing that’s kept me going has been baking, and I’ve discovered something so unbelievably delicious it is hard to believe it is legal.
Granola.
Homemade granola, to be precise. If you don’t like cereal, but sometimes feel like eating yoghurt and fruit for breakfast and need an accompaniment, give this a try. If you’ve bought overpriced supermarket granola and decided you don’t like it (understandable), no you haven’t. Trrrust me, this is just not the same. It’s ever so slightly sweet, it’s toasty, it’s nutty, it’s incredible. It’s comforting, but it’s not comfort food. It’s like a hug in a bowl. Not a sweaty, overbearing hug from someone you’re not that keen on when you’d really rather be alone, just a light, gentle, ‘I see you, I appreciate you’ kind of hug. It’s also the perfect recipe for when you haven’t got the patience for a fancy cake, but need something to do with your hands and a sense of achievement at the end for having made yourself an everyday staple item rather than bought it from the shop. Try it. Do.
You will need:
• 125ml maple syrup
• 2 tbsp flavourless oil
• 2 tbsp golden syrup
• 300g rolled oats
• 120g mixed seeds, ideally pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds
• 120g roughly chopped nuts, ideally almonds and Brazil nuts
• 3 baking trays lined with greaseproof paper or reusable non-stick baking sheets
Preheat the oven to 150oC (fan 130oC). Combine the wet ingredients, then add to the dry ingredients and mix well. Spread over baking sheets in a thin layer and put into the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then take out and stir the granola to help it bake evenly. If you like ‘clusters’ of granola, you can help it stick together in clumps. Put back in the oven for another 15 minutes, or until all the nuts and oats look golden brown. Serve with yoghurt and fresh fruit, or over a smoothie bowl. Devour.
