Maple-baked granola

This is a good blueprint. You can put in whatever you like – different nuts and dried fruits – as long as you follow the basic premise. I use mixed grains (Waitrose do a bag of four-grain porridge) and put crispy spelt flakes in too (you can get these in health food shops) but, again, you can use whatever grains and crispy flakes you like. Cut the amount of maple syrup if you want – I like it to taste quite strongly of maple – and use extra virgin olive oil (one that isn’t too bitter or grassy) instead of hazel or walnut oil if you prefer.

MAKES about 1kg PREP 15 mins COOK 35 mins EASY V

300g four-grain porridge mix (containing oat, wheat, barley and rice flakes), or a multi-grain porridge mix of your choice 50g crispy malted wheat flakes 50g crispy spelt flakes

40g each pecans, walnuts and unblanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped

150g mixed seeds (we used a pumpkin, sunflower & seame mix) 15g hemp seeds (optional) 225ml maple syrup

4 tbsp hazelnut or walnut oil 100g dried apples, chopped 75g dried cranberries

75g dried sour cherries 1 Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Line two large roasting tins (or one and cook in batches) with baking parchment. Put the porridge mix and all the flakes, nuts and seeds in a bowl and mix them together.

2 Put the maple syrup and oil in a big heavy-bottomed saucepan and gently heat. Add the grain mixture and stir until all the dry ingredients are coated – you are not cooking the mixture, just coating it. Spread the cereal over the parchment (it shouldn’t lie in big clumps) and bake for about 20 mins.

3 Remove from the oven, turn the temperature up to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, then return to the oven, swapping the tins over. Cook for another 10 mins, but keep an eye on things. You want a golden toasted mixture – you may even start to smell some caramelisation – but don’t take it too far.

4 Take the tins out the oven and leave to cool. Break the granola up into small chunks with your hands and add the dried fruit. Will keep well in an airtight container for two weeks. You can ‘refresh’ it by sticking it all in the oven again (at 160C/140c/gas 3) for 15 mins. Eat with milk or yogurt, and fresh fruit too, if you like.

GOOD TO KNOW vegan

PER SERVING 121 kcals • fat 6g • saturates 1g • carbs 12g • sugars 6g • fibre 2g • protein 3g • salt none