Christmas Granola
Rolled Oats 2 cups
(the old fashioned kind)
Mixed nuts 1 cup
(a mix of slivered almonds, coarsely crushed hazelnuts, walnuts & pecans)
Black & white chia seeds 2 tbsps
Sea Salt 1/2 tsp
Coconut Oil 3 tbsp
Yuletide Spiced Honey 3 tbsp
Cinnamon Powder 1/2 tsp
Dried berries & fruit 1/2 cup
(a mix of dried cranberries & strawberries, raisins & sultanas, chopped dates – or whatever else you fancy)
Heat the oven to the global temperature of 180 degrees.
– Warm the coconut oil to melt.
– Add the Yuletide Spiced Honey and cinnamon & mix well with a whisk.
– In a large bowl, mix the rolled oats, chia seeds, nuts and sea salt.
– Add the honey / oil mixture and mix well till the oats, etc are well coated.
– Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
– Layer the oats mixture and press down to form a firm layer.
– Bake for about 10 minutes, pull out and stir. Using a wooden spoon / spatula, press down to a layer again.
– Put back into the oven for an additional 15 minutes.
– Pull out and leave to cool completely – at least an hour (resist the urge to stir, to try and get as many big chunks as possible).
– When cooled completely, break into chunks. Add the dried fruit and mix with a wooden spoon.
Store in an airtight jar or container.
Great for brekkie with a dollop of yoghurt and milk or to use as a topping on dessert. Top with fresh berries or seasonal fruit.
At this time of the year, with things getting busier and timelines blurring into each other, I often “forget” to eat and snack throughout the day. Breakfast foods are a favourite with me and our girls and we go through a lot of cereal. Our oldest daughter started making granola some time ago and this is my take on a Christmassy theme. (Besides, I love all these flavours!)
Feel free to swap out for another of our honeys. The Masala Chai honey makes a lovely all-through-the-year granola, while the Gold Spice honey makes for a wonderful warming winter cereal.
Personally, I leave out the raisins and sultans, but add more freeze-dried berries, instead! 😉