Nuts, Seeds and Coconut Granola

I am going to start this post with a bold statement: there is no granola better than the one you make at home. Yes, you can buy good granola made by independent cafes and bakeries, but even that cannot compare to a granola that you have baked in your kitchen, with ingredients you have selected and mixed perfectly to your own taste.

I know what you are thinking: who has got the time to make granola anyway? I am lazy and most of the time I will buy granola from the supermarket; some brands are very good, like Dorset Cereals Nut Granola which I used for this biscuit recipe. Some times though I make the effort to make granola at home and it is always a very rewarding process. It gets me excited about getting up the next day just to have breakfast! :)

I have never made the exact same recipe twice. I use whatever nuts and seeds I have at home, often adding coconut flakes, and rarely using raisins or other fruit. I like my granola to be nutty and crunchy. I always add maple syrup rather than honey, and recently I have started using coconut oil to create the crunchy clusters and add more of a coconut flavour.

Homemade granola is very easy and quick to make: all you need is a mixing bowl to throw all the ingredients together, then bake it in the oven for 20-25 minutes. It is also easy to store for several weeks (though mine never lasts more than a few days!). I used to store granola in zip lock bags or tupperware, but I felt they didn’t preserve the texture of the granola for long.

Nowadays I use glass jars and my favourites are the Super Preserve Jars by Le Parfait, which are functional but also have an iconic and stylish look.

Le Parfait is a French brand of preserve jars famous all over the world. Their jars are ideal for traditionally preserving soft fruits, vegetables, jams, honey, but they are also great for general dry storage of ingredients like pasta, dried fruits, rice and beans. And granola of course!

Next month I am going to experiment with different fruit jam recipes in collaboration with Le Parfait and I am going to share my favourite one here. Stay tuned! Until then, you could give a try to this recipe for nuts, seeds and coconut granola. If you love granola, you are going to love this!

Ingredients

• 4 cups oats
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped roughly
• 1/2 cup almonds, chopped roughly
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 tbsp cinnamon powder
• 4 tbsp Vita Coco coconut oil, melted
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup desiccated coconut flakes

Preparation

Pre-heat oven to 170°C fan.

Chop the walnuts and almonds roughly and mix them with oats and pumpkin seeds. Add the cinnamon powder.

Add the coconut oil and maple syrup to the oat mixture. Stir until evenly coated, adding more maple syrup if required.

Spread the granola out on a baking tray. Bake for about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through the baking. Remove from the oven, add the desiccated coconut and bake for a further 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely, until the granola has set. Serve with fresh milk, yoghurt or sprinkled on ice cream and cheesecakes.

Store in airtight jars and keep in a cool room. The granola will stay good for a few weeks.

Disclaimer: this post was written in collaboration with Le Parfait. All opinions are my own.