HOMEMADE GRANOLA

INGREDIENTS

■ 2 cups rolled oats

■ ⅓ cup each pumpkin seeds, raisins and almonds

■ ½t salt

■ ½t ground cinnamon

■ ⅓ cup melted coconut oil

■ ½ cup honey

■ 1t vanilla extract

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180°C, and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with baking paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, nuts, seeds, salt and cinnamon. Stir to blend.

3. Pour in the oil, honey and vanilla. Mix well, until all oats and nuts are lightly coated.

4. Pour the granola onto your prepared pan, and use a large spoon to spread it in an even layer.

5. Bake until lightly golden, about 20 minutes, stirring halfway. (For extraclumpy granola, press the stirred granola down with your spatula to create a more even layer). Keep a beady eye on it – it burns easily. The granola will further crisp up as it cools.

6. Let the granola cool completely, undisturbed (at least 45 minutes).

7. Top with the raisins. Break the granola into pieces with your hands if you want to retain big chunks, or stir it around with a spoon if you don’t want extra-clumpy granola.

8. Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks, or in a sealed freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. The dried fruit can freeze solid, so let it warm to room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

9. Enjoy with milk or yogurt. ●

COOK’S NOTE

Once you’ve mastered a basic granola, experiment with a variety of flavours. You could add pecan nuts, walnuts, cashews, peanuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds and cocoa nibs. Sesame seeds are tiny and prone to burning, so add them afterwards. To sweeten, you could use maple syrup instead of honey, or some sticky muscovado sugar. More flavours to try: cinnamon, ground ginger or coconut flakes. For a fruity kick and chewy texture, use any chopped dried fruit you enjoy. You can add chocolate chips after the granola has completely cooled (otherwise, they’ll melt).