Homemade granola? So easy – so much easier than you’d think!

This is my last recipe in this series of twists on Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution healthy breakfasts.

I’d planned to simply create a homemade granola recipe for my twist on Jamie’s Banana & Cinnamon Porridge, but a little research has led me towards using buckwheat and making this recipe even more inclusive. The GFG!

Granola is such a delicious, nutritious and flexible breakfast that you can make in batches and store so that it’s always on hand.

Ingredients:

• 200g buckwheat
• 200g oats (certified Gluten Free)
• 200g mixed nuts, roughly chopped
• 100g mixed seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, linseed)
• 75g coconut flakes
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 4 tbsp coconut oil
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 300g dried fruit (cranberries work well)
• Milk, honey, yoghurt and fresh berries to serve (all optional)

Method:

The key here is to watch your granola like a hawk whilst toasting it in the oven – ovens vary tremendously – don’t let it burn! Turning it frequently will make sure it’s evenly cooked.

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
2. Except for the dried fruit, mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
3. Melt the coconut oil in a small pan over a low heat.
4. Add all of the wet ingredients to the bowl and mix well.
5. Spread the mix out on a couple of baking trays in a single layer (or bake in batches).
6. Bake in the oven for 20 – 35 minutes, turning roughly every 10 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.
7. Allow the granola to cool, mix in the dried fruits and store in a clean airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
8. Serve plainly with milk, or perhaps yoghurt with fresh berries and a drizzle of honey for a more decadent breakfast.

Variations:

This recipe doesn’t have to be gluten free (GF) if you’re not on a specialist diet – regular oats are much cheaper and taste exactly the same. Technically, oats are GF anyway (oats contain a similar but more tolerable protein than gluten, called avenins), however there is a risk to those suffering from coeliac disease as they may have been stored or packaged in the vicinity of barley, wheat or rye grain.

You may wish to adapt this recipe to suit your taste, in fact, I’d implore you to do so; try switching the maple syrup for honey, the coconut oil for olive oil, add cacao nibs and chia seeds, experiment with different nuts or even add a little cardamom. Have fun with it and soon you’ll be batch-cooking your own special blend on a regular basis.