Create your signature granola

Personalise your granola recipe in a few simple steps

For years, I’ve been eating what I thought was muesli, but is in fact granola as it is baked! When buying shop bought muesli or granola always something in it I don’t like – too many raisins or cardboard pieces of banana. An easy solution is to make your granola at home.

Use my guidelines and create the perfect granola for you:

• Make it vegan by using maple syrup or use delicious local honey if you’re vegetarian.
• Make it gluten free with gluten free oats.
• Make it dairy free with plant based milk

Use only the nuts, seeds and dried fruit you like!

The granola recipe will take you about 10 minutes to make and 10 minutes to bake and will store for weeks – if it lasts that long. Serve it with your favourite milk, yogurt or kefir.

I very rarely use cups to measure when baking, but this granola recipe originally came from an American friend, so that’s the way it is always made. If you don’t have a cup measure, use a tea cup or mug instead your total quantity will just be smaller or larger!

Basic Granola Formula

• 5 cups of porridge oats
• 1 cup of mixed seeds
• 1 cup of mixed nuts
• 1 cup of toasted coconut flakes
• 1 cup of dried fruit
• 1/2 cup of honey or maple syrup combined with 1/4 cup of walnut oil or other light oil.

Ingredient Options for your Granola

For many of the items below, it’s worth placing an online order (eg with Real Foods if you are in the UK) or going to independent shops, where ingredients are far cheaper. It’s worth the effort. Of course, if you are making it for others, adapt it for any allergies for example, sesame seeds or nuts

Oats

I like to use Mornflake superfast porridge oats  These oats are cut into three so are the perfect size for the granola. They are readily available in most supermarkets. Gluten free oats are also quite easy to source.

Seeds

There are so many seeds to choose from: linseeds, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or chia seeds and more. I’d include roughly a quarter of the smaller seeds and 3/4 of the larger seeds.

Nuts

Choose your favourite nuts from: walnuts, pecan nuts, cashew nuts, almonds, pistachio and more. With the walnuts, pecan and cashew break them in half or in quarters.

Dried Fruits

Dried fruits are added after baking as they require no toasting. Chop into smallish pieces and add to the toasted mix. Choose from dried cranberries, apricots, figs, prunes, pears, apples, raisins and others. Plump for the semi-soft dried fruit for preference.

Toasted Coconut

Pre-toasted coconut flakes are ideal such as those sold by Merchant Gourmet. Leave these out if you’re not a fan.

Honey or Maple Syrup and Oil

As you are warming your honey or maple syrup, you can use cheaper options. For the oil, choose a neutral flavour (not olive oil or rapeseed). I like to use walnut oil.

Your Signature Granola Recipe

Brighten up your breakfast with your signature granola. Serve with dairy milk, yogurt, kefir or plant milk. Just grab a handful and put into your prettiest bowl.

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